Together, We Are the Oceans
by Aelora
Summary: When the Warblers get the opportunity to perform on a cruise ship over the holidays, Kurt can barely believe his luck at spending the time with Blaine.  What he doesn't count on is the friendships he makes, and the love he feels for his friend returned.
1. Chapter 1

Warbler practice is starting late.

It's weird because practice never starts late, and everyone realizes it's weird because they're getting restless, cracking jokes, loosening ties—Nick and Jeff have started a thumb wrestling tournament. Kurt watches as the Warblers slowly dissolve into chaos without Wes there to draw them back to order with the crack of his gavel. At the head table, David and Thad haven't even made an attempt to start practice, apparently enjoying the lull in discipline as they discuss last night's episode of "Fringe".

Sitting up a little straighter as he realizes the boys' disorderliness is beginning to affect him, Kurt leans close to Blaine who has been quietly skimming through his iPod list. "Any idea where Wes _is_?"

"Said Dr. Gibbons wanted to see him."

"What could Wes have done to be summoned to the headmaster's office?"

Blaine shrugs, eyes sparkling a little as he remarks. "Maybe he was reported for over-usage of his gavel?"

Kurt swallows the laugh that threatens. He kind of hates how his mind can make the most innocent comments from Blaine completely dirty.

"So I say we cancel practice today," Jeremiah calls out from the back of the room just before he gets hit in the side of the head with a wadded up piece of paper. No one seems to know who threw it.

David shakes his head. "Wes'll be here, and I doubt any of us want to deal with the consequences of him walking into an empty room."

There are mutters of agreement, and some dissension, from around the room. Kurt can't help but be amused as he continues to watch the proceedings. "It feels like the stirrings of a mutiny," he says. "Would they really all just walk out?"

Blaine snorts. "Hardly. They'd spend the night here waiting as long as it means not suffering the Wrath of Wes. He may not seem entirely imposing but he's got this death glare that's even brought Holden to tears."

Kurt tries to picture the big rugby player crying as Blaine gets hit in the side of the head with a paper ball. "Stop spreading lies, Anderson," Holden warns.

At least now Jeremiah knows the culprit. More paper balls begin to fly around the room. Kurt ducks two of them. Beside him, Blaine smacks one coming toward him and it hits Nick square in the face, causing him to lose that round of thumb wrestling to Jeff.

"You guys, I have the most exciting news!" Wes enters the room, completely ignoring the random comments of "Oh, look who decided to join us?" "Who's he?" and "Are we there yet?"

He shuts the door behind him, clasping his hands together as he moves toward the head table, his body visibly thrumming with barely contained excitement. It's enough to quiet the Warblers, who all look on with curiosity when they realize that Wes appears to have completely forgotten about his gavel as he takes his seat.

"So what is this news?" David prompts as he turns toward his friend. "Our competition for Regionals forfeited and we win by default?"

Kurt purses his lips and informs them, "Rachel would have to die first, and even then, I wouldn't hedge my bets."

Wes doesn't even seem to hear them. He lays his palms on the table, and smiles like a kid on Christmas morning. "Are you ready?"

"Dude, you couldn't have a more captive audience if our heads were sewn to the carpet," Malcolm replies, much to the amusement of the others.

Wes' smile falters only slightly before he continues, "Do you all remember Walter Ramsey?"

Blaine, who Kurt has often thought has the memory of an elephant, is the one to respond. "He's the Warbler alum from the class of '55. He became a billionaire off commercial real estate investments."

"The very same. He's always been a big supporter of the Warblers, and apparently came to see us perform at Sectionals. He was extremely impressed with what he saw, and after speaking with a few friends of his—" Wes pauses for dramatic effect, but anyone can see he is quickly losing the interest of the other boys,"—the Warblers have been invited to perform on the cruise ship iMillennium/i in the Caribbean for ten days over the holidays!"

At first, there is utter and complete silence as if everyone in the room takes in what Wes has just announced and processes it, and then pandemonium breaks loose as everyone begins talking at once. Kurt swears he hears someone utter the words "Glory hallelujah." As excited as they all are, Kurt can't help but be a little circumspect—he remembers all too well the consequences of the commercial New Directions filmed last year.

"Wouldn't something like that disqualify us from Regionals?" he finds himself asking.

Not many of the others seem to be listening, but Blaine tells him, loud enough for the others to hear, "We won't be paid for it, nor will the trip be comped to us. The Warblers have done things like this before, thanks to Mr. Ramsey. He sent the group three years ago to Europe for two weeks to perform in a couple of festivals. He pays all expenses—he gets the exposure he wants for his beloved Warblers, and we get a free trip."

"AKA," David supplies, "No Ohio snow for ten days!" There are hoots and hollers to David's comment as high-fives are passed between them.

Kurt tries to smile with the others, he really does, but it isn't easy. Does he want to go on a ten day cruise to the Caribbean with the Warblers, not to mention the boy who consumes his daily thoughts? Hell, yes.

Does he think his dad is going to let him?

Hell, no.

_XXXXXXXXX_

"Let me get this straight, kiddo. Ten days, in the Caribbean, on a cruise ship, during the holidays?"

Kurt feels his heart sink with each word. "It's completely paid for, Dad. It wouldn't cost us a thing, and it's with the Warblers so it's part of my extracurricular activities, and you know colleges look at those kinds of things, and we'll have chaperones and—"

His father's sigh cuts him off. "Kurt, that's not the point and you know it. This is our first Christmas together as a family—"

"Dad, please. This is important to me—"

"And you think spending the holidays with my family isn't important to me? To Carole? To Finn? Aren't you being a little selfish?"

"I'm not trying to be selfish." Tears sting Kurt's eyes over his father's rebuke, and his own growing disappointment. He hadn't been thinking, but the memory of that day when he'd chosen a "Sound of Music" sing-along over dinner hits him hard. But, his dad is okay now, and Carole is looking after him, and so many good things are happening in his life, Kurt refuses to imagine that can change. He tries to focus the conversation elsewhere. "I'd be the only Warbler not going."

"Oh, is that it?" His dad's tone is clipped. "Is that Blaine you are always talking about going, too?"

Kurt bites his lip. "This doesn't have anything to do with Blaine."

"I'm sure it mostly has to do with Blaine—"

Whatever else his dad might have said is cut off by something Carole is saying in the background. Kurt can't make out the words, but he can tell by the tone of her voice that she's trying to calm her husband.

"That's not it, Carole. He knows better than to spring something like this on us a week before Christmas break."

"I'm not springing anything on you, Dad," Kurt snaps angrily into the phone. "I just learned about it this evening with the others. None of us knew."

"Watch your tone with me, Kurt, or this conversation is going to be over real quick."

Kurt barely mutters an apology as the tears spill over onto his cheeks. He wipes at them angrily. _This is so unfair_!

There's a soft knock on his door as Carole begins speaking again, and Kurt's dad says, "Hang on a second." He hears a hand going over the receiver and mumbled voices through the speaker as his dad and stepmom talk. Kurt looks up as the door to his room slowly pushes open and Blaine peers inside, eyes widening as he realizes Kurt is on the phone.

"I can come back," he whispers.

Kurt shakes his head quickly, motioning his friend into the room. He seems hesitant at first before quietly stepping inside and closing the door behind him. Blaine moves over to Kurt's bed and sits down, across from where Kurt is sitting at his desk. He leans forward a little, balancing his elbows on his knees as he watches Kurt, and finally mouths _Are you all right?_

Compressing his lips in a tight line, Kurt shakes his head again. He really doesn't want to start bawling in front of Blaine over a stupid cruise.

"Kurt, you there?"

"Yeah, Dad."

"Look, I'm going to think about this and we'll talk about it more tomorrow—"

"Which means no."

"It means, _kid_ that we'll talk about it more tomorrow. Understand?"

He wants to believe that maybe Carole is on his side; that maybe she'll talk his dad into saying yes. "Okay."

"Okay. You have a good night, and I'll talk to you later. I love you, Kurt, no matter what you may be thinking right now."

Kurt dashes at another stray tear. Dammit. "I know, Dad. I love you, too."

As he sets his phone down on the desk, he says miserably, "He's not going to let me go."

"It sounds like there may still be a chance," Blaine replies.

"'We'll talk about it later' is simply my dad's way of delaying the inevitable." Kurt looks away as he feels his eyes burning once again.

"Hey." Blaine reaches over and touches his knee to get his attention. "It'll all work out, I promise. I'll mention it to Dr. Gibbons in the morning, and maybe he can put a call in to your dad, explaining what a huge opportunity and stuff this is. You know how adults seem to be able to say things to each other that they won't listen to from us?"

Kurt shrugs. "I doubt it'll help."

"My little optimist," Blaine teases with a smile.

The way he says 'my', as in possession, is just enough to make Kurt forget how upset he is at the moment. It's enough to coax him into returning Blaine's smile, and wonder to himself how he'd ever really existed before Blaine came into his life. He may not have everything he wants from Blaine—he may never have that—and he may never have the courage to tell Blaine exactly what he means to Kurt, but just the same, having Blaine in his life is something that continually amazes him. It amazes him even more when Blaine says:

"If your dad's ultimate answer is no, then I won't go, either."

For a long moment, Kurt isn't entirely certain he heard Blaine correctly, but by the earnest expression on Blaine's face, he must have. And then Kurt can only give him a look you would focus on the truly insane.

"There's no way I'd let you do that."

"There's no way you'd have a choice." Blaine gives him another smile. "Kurt, I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself knowing you were sad and wishing you were with us. If you have to stay, so will I. We can have our own little Caribbean Christmas here in Ohio. We'll even go out for seafood or something."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "Red Lobster is hardly a substitute for Caribbean lobster tail."

"I wouldn't lower myself to taking you to Red Lobster. There's a McCormick & Schmick's in Columbus."

Gently kicking Blaine in the shin with his foot, Kurt tells him fondly, "Don't be an idiot."

Smile growing, Blaine leans over to lay his hand on Kurt's knee once more. "Then don't be such a pessimist. It'll work out. You'll see."

_XXXXXXXX_

"You're what?"

"Carole and I are going as chaperones."

Kurt is still positive that he has misheard his dad. It's one thing to get to go on a cruise for the holidays with your glee club. It's quite another to do so with your parents in tow. "I don't… I don't understand."

"That headmaster called this morning—Gibbons, is it? He understood my reservations about letting my son take off to the Caribbean over Christmas and asked if Carole and I would be interested in chaperoning your singing group. Most of our trip will be covered, and we just have to pay for Finn-"

"Wait. Finn's coming, too?" 

"Of course! You didn't think we'd just leave your stepbrother at home over the holidays, did you?" His dad laughs on the other end of the line.

_Well, actually_… Kurt drops onto a bench in the hallway as students move past him. "So, I guess that means we're all going, then."

"Seems like it—Be with you in a moment—Look, kiddo, I've got a customer waiting. Carole is working on all of the details with your school, so we'll call you again soon. Just wanted to give you the good news!"

Kurt forces a smile into his voice. "Thanks, Dad."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

After the call ends, Kurt sits there in a daze, not even noticing the occasional "Hey, Kurt" being called out to him from classmates as they pass. On the one hand, he's going on a cruise to the Caribbean with the Warblers. With _Blaine_. What could be more romantic than a cruise? How could there ever be a more perfect time to maybe admit to Blaine how he feels? It's hard to put his romanticized idyllic notions aside when this could maybe, possibly, potentially be his first real chance to find out what it's like to have a boyfriend.

But…

On the other hand, his dad, and his recently acquired stepmom and stepbrother are also going. His _dad_. And the boy he wants more than anything to be his boyfriend.

Kurt is fairly certain that somewhere in the dictionary, under the definition of "cock block", his current situation is described for all to see.

_XXXXXXXX_

_A/N: __This totally evolved from my recent cruise over the holidays. I think I should feel ashamed—I was working on something far more angsty but then realized I love Klaine most because it means happiness for Kurt, and therefore my Klaine must be happy. And there were so many things about my cruise that kept throwing Klaine in my face (the a cappella group that performed on board, the elderly gay couple celebrating their 25__th__ anniversary, the live band constantly performing "Teenage Dream") that I couldn't NOT begin to form the seeds for this fic in my mind. My apologies if it is totally ridic, too fluffy or just plain silly. (In my defense, I have not yet started the Pirate Klaine fic I want to write, so that's something…) Next chapter will be up tomorrow._


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who has left comments and/or added this story to their alerts! It really started out as a bit of a lark to me with my experience on my cruise, and now it just keeps growing in my mind. Perhaps the Warblers will have to go on another adventure together when this is finished! ;)_

_My apologies with this part being so late—I came down with the plague, or something like it, and have been completely out of commission the last four days. Miserable, dying, or at least wanting to. Here's hoping I get caught up with everything by the weekend._

_Also, I promise this story will pick up once they get onboard the ship!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Standing beside his Louis Vutton suitcase, the matching carry-on slung over his shoulder, Kurt watches in consternation as the bus driver blithely tosses the Warblers' luggage into the bus storage compartment with as much care as one would toss garbage. He edges closer to his bag, wondering momentarily if it would fit on his lap in his seat. When the driver finally turns to grab it, Kurt finds himself reaching for the handle possessively not wanting to let it out of his sight, but the man doesn't seem to notice. He pulls it from Kurt's sight, flinging it into the compartment while Kurt flinches and tries very, very hard not to whimper out loud. His perfect packing arrangement will doubtfully survive this trip.

And cruise ships don't allow irons.

Kurt startles slightly when a hand comes down on his shoulder, and he turns to find his dad standing at his side, with Carole and Finn trailing behind him. "Dad, hi."

He twists to give his dad a hug, a laugh escaping him as his dad embraces him a little too tightly, and then he's enveloped by Carole as well, both parents behaving as if they haven't seen him as recently as last weekend.

"Hey, Kurt." Finn tosses him a wave and smile, but Kurt actually leans over to give him a quick hug, and to his surprise, Finn returns it. "Glee club says hey. Umm, actually Santana threatened you with bodily harm for not finding a way for all of them to come along."

Mercedes had done the same by text.

Honestly, he hadn't intended for the Hummel-Hudson's to be there, but Kurt smiles all the same in response. When he'd told Blaine the news, and how much he was dreading all that would probably happen, his friend had quipped "Well, we could stay here and eat at Red Lobster, if you prefer?"

Blaine's lucky he's charming.

And gorgeous.

Burt Hummel begins carrying their luggage over to the bus driver and Kurt is amused to note that their packing fits each of his family members. His dad's suitcase is medium-sized and weathered with age, likely filled with little more than t-shirt, shorts and one or two suits for dinner. Finn has a duffle bag, and by the random bugles against the fabric, Kurt figures everything was shoved in, with little care for wrinkles or whether or not it had even been washed. Carole's bag, on the other hand, is as big as his, the use of it only evident by a slight wearing along the leather edging.

His stepmom links her arm with his, and she smells faintly of _White Shoulders_. She's looking at him with a big smile. "You excited, honey?"

"My excitement is alleviated by the amount of sun block I had to purchase," he remarks nonchalantly. But then again, of _course_ he is excited. Who wouldn't be?

Carole laughs as if she sees right through his comment, and gives his arm a quick squeeze. "We can't thank you enough for this opportunity. Imagine, all of us spending the holidays together as a family in the Caribbean!"

Kurt feels his cheeks warm at her gratitude, though really he thinks it should be Blaine she needs to thank. He hasn't said as much, but Kurt has the suspicion that the entire chaperone thing had been his idea. It was David who mentioned a few weeks back that Dr. Gibbons had harbored a soft spot for Blaine from his first day at Dalton.

"Are one of these boys Blaine?" she asks quietly, her eyes scanning the group of Warblers gathered around the entrance to the bus.

"No."

Kurt feels his cheeks flame at how obviously everyone in his family knows about his feelings for Blaine. His brow furrows as he suddenly realizes Blaine isn't there yet. In fact, neither are Wes and David. He cranes his head around, searching the parking lot before he finally spies the three friends cutting across the courtyard toward them. Wes and David are out in front, hands filled with papers, gesturing wildly back and forth as both seem to be speaking over one another. Blaine is following, wheeling two suitcases behind him, one large leather duffle slung over his right shoulder, and his own carry-on over his left shoulder.

Shaking his head, Kurt excuses himself from his stepmom's side and moves over to meet them, flashing Wes and David a look they don't even notice as he grabs one of the suitcases and the carry-on from Blaine.

"Thanks." Blaine offers a smile that would make carrying a full-sized trunk worth it.

"What's going on with them?" Kurt asks as he and Blaine make their way over to the bus, and the dreaded bus driver, Destroyer of Luggage.

"They're arguing over our set list." 

"Wait. I thought that had already been decided?" Kurt pauses as the driver goes to take the bags from him, and has yet another fleeting thought of simply not handing them over.

"It has been. But I kind of threw a wrench into it when I told them about my idea for our duet."

Kurt ducks his head to hide the flush he feels at the memory of two nights ago. He'd been studying for the last of his exams in one of the common rooms when Blaine had entered with boom box in hand. After teasing Kurt for studying so hard, he explained that he had an idea for them to sing "Baby It's Cold Outside" together on the cruise. He'd asked if Kurt was interested—_of course_ he was interested!—and they'd rehearsed it. Surprisingly, or maybe not so, Kurt felt their version had been better than any version ever sang. They'd flirted, with Kurt leading Blaine on a merry chase around the room in a manner he'd only imagined in his daydreams—only at those moments there was a lot less chasing and a lot more surrendering but that didn't quite fit with the song.

"So, they're okay with it?" he asks tentatively.

Blaine gives him one of those really special looks that say Kurt just asked something supremely stupid and obvious. He doesn't give the look often, and even if it is leveled at him, Kurt can't help but smile back at him.

"Of course they're okay with it. Only now, David wants to go with a few more _less_ traditional Christmas songs, which Wes doesn't agree with, and they both think that if we're willing to do a duet for the Christmas performances, then perhaps we should also do one for our regular set list."

Kurt bites his lip. "We'll be singing another song together?"

"We'll steal the show." Blaine gives him a conspiratorial wink as he bumps his shoulder into Kurt's.

"Okay, boys! Everyone on board!" Mr. Price, the faculty advisor to the Warblers, calls out.

"Come on." Blaine places his hand against Kurt's back, guiding him forward toward the steps. "Let's grab a seat before we get stuck sitting next to any of the stinky guys."

"You're the only one who's stinky, Anderson," Malcolm responds as he follows them onto the bus. "I think it's the hair gel."

Kurt bites back the scathing remark that automatically springs to his tongue in Blaine's defense because his friend is laughing and throwing a good-natured punch into Malcolm's shoulder. "Trust me. The gel saves us all. Otherwise I'm a Filipino Shirley Temple, and you really don't want to see that."

There's laughter around them and mock expressions of horror at the vision, someone suggests that Blaine should sing "The Good Ship Lollipop" on the cruise. Kurt's giggling at the image when he notices his dad waving him toward the back of the bus where he is sitting with Carole—there are two free seats in front of them. Finn is across the aisle seated next to John where they're already engrossed in a conversation about sports. Kurt is about to ask Blaine if he minds sitting by his dad and Carole but his friend is already making his way toward the back of the bus, hand extended toward the elder Hummel.

"Blaine Anderson, sir."

Kurt walks up behind him; gaze trained on his dad who is eyeing Blaine as if he were a particularly troublesome intake manifold.

"Blaine, it's nice to finally meet you." Carole reaches past her husband to shake Blaine's hand as Kurt moves in to the seat next to the window, crossing his legs and trying very hard to look as if he's not actually listening.

"And you, Mrs. Hummel."

"Please, honey, call me Carole."

As Blaine turns to introduce himself to Finn, Carole leans forward between the seats to squeeze Kurt's shoulder. "He's very handsome, Kurt," she whispers.

Burt grunts at her words.

Kurt tries not to smile too much as Blaine takes the seat beside him. Leaning toward him, the boy whispers, "Well, that was relatively painless."

_Only because there are witnesses_, Kurt thinks but gives his friend a smile.

At the front of the bus, Mr. Price is instructing everyone to check one more time to make certain they have their passports and student ID's on them. Kurt checks his pocket just to be safe. They'd had to spend extra money to expedite his because apparently everyone in the Warblers had been out of the country at least once except him. Having a passport, though, makes him feel very cosmopolitan, like he can suddenly go anywhere he wishes. He startles slightly when he feels Blaine's fingers pluck at his sleeve. He turns his head to find Blaine is very close—close enough to see the entrancing mixture of green and gold that makes up the color of his eyes.

"I bet we regret not going to Red Lobster," Blaine deadpans as the bus lurches forward.

Kurt rolls his eyes. "I'll take you there for your birthday."

_XXXXXXXX_

Kurt opens his eyes to the sounds of the plane's engines around him, and the low voices of Blaine and Nick talking to one another beside him before growing silent. He hears (who? the stewardess Nick say something that intones like a question, and then Blaine answering in a soft response. It takes Kurt a moment to understand why he feels so comfortable and prepares to close his eyes and go back to sleep—his head is on Blaine's shoulder and the armrest that should be between them has been tucked away. He holds his breath for the next few moments, not wanting to do anything that might alert Blaine to the fact that he's awake. He's not quite certain how he's ended up in this position. The last thing he remembers was staring out the window as they flew out of Ft. Lauderdale, and Blaine had been leaning over so close that when he spoke Kurt could feel his breath brush against his ear, and they'd stared at the growing expanse of water together until there hadn't been any more land.

He remembers that Blaine had pulled out his Macbook because Nick hadn't seen _The Deathly Hallows_ yet, and Blaine had a downloaded copy. They were sharing the earphones between them, and Blaine had asked if Kurt wanted to watch too, but he had shaken his head and settled down in his seat, surreptitiously watching the boy next to him as he watched the movie. Kurt has found few things that fascinate him more than Blaine's myriad expressions, sometimes so difficult to read, and others like when he's watching a movie are like watching the movie itself.

So he remembers watching Blaine watch the movie. He must have fallen asleep sometime after, though it certainly doesn't excuse falling asleep on Blaine's shoulder.

Oh, God. He hopes he hasn't been drooling! 

He sits up quickly. Blaine ends his conversation with Nick mid-sentence, and turns to give him a warm smile. "Hey, there," he says softly.

"I'm sorry." Kurt reaches up to brush at his hair, hoping it isn't too badly out of place.

Blaine flashes him an expression of confusion. "For what?"

"Ummm, sleeping." Kurt's face flushes. "On you, I mean."

Blaine rolls his eyes. Nick leans past him, saying, "It was kind of endearing, actually."

Kurt's mouth falls open and he snaps it shut, offering Nick a withering stare until the boy shrugs and leans back into his seat. Kurt is really getting sick of the whole 'endearing' thing. He blames David.

"How much longer?" he asks after a brief silence, turning to look out the window. Below the plane he sees nothing but water—an enormous expense of beautiful blue water. The suns a little too bright and his eyes hurt after a moment. Blinking, he turns away, half shutting the shade over the window.

"About an hour to Puerto Rico."

Blaine pauses the movie, which earns a disappointed "Hey!" from Nick, until Blaine waves a hand toward the seats in front of them where Wes is wriggling around on his knees to face the rest of the group. David and Thad soon join him, leaning on the seat backs. The Council had called dibs on one of the front rows, just so they could discuss the last of the set lists and then share with the group. Across from them sits Mr. Price and Kurt's parents. Finn had ended up a few rows back with Holden where Kurt is certain they are still holding a marathon discussion about sports.

"Hey guys." Wes draws the attention of the Warblers and obviously some of the other passengers as well. "We have our set lists finalized for both the Christmas and regular performances for the cruise. There're two songs we haven't had the chance to work on, but we have plenty of time to practice and it'll be up to Blaine and Kurt to lead us through them."

Kurt glances over at Blaine but his friend is staring intently at Wes.

"Now, we have two set performances, an hour each, in the main theater twice each night. On the 26th, Blaine will lead us through _Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_, _All I Want for Christmas is You _and _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_. Nick, we're going to give you _White Christmas_,"—Blaine leans over to whisper congratulations to the beaming boy beside him—"and Blaine and Kurt will be doing _Baby it's Cold Outside_."

There are excited murmurs through the group and Malcolm, who is sitting behind him, reaches his hand up to pat Kurt on the shoulder. "That's going to be awesome, man."

Kurt is still trying to get used to this—the acceptance, the excitement, the encouragement. He can't imagine that Mr. Schuester and his New Direction's friends would be half as supportive of the idea of him and Blaine performing a duet traditionally sung by a man and woman. He misses them all something terrible, and still feels guilty when he thinks about leaving, but moments like this alleviate all those feelings a little bit. There's something in the validation of being handed a duet with the boy of his dreams that Kurt wouldn't trade for the world in that moment.

"Kendrick will take us through _Frosty the Snowman_, and as a group we'll perform _The Christmas Song_ and close with our popular medley of _Holly Jolly Christmas_, _Rockin' 'Round the Christmas Tree _and _Jingle Bell Rock_."

"Good list," Blaine compliments.

Wes' smile expands, and Kurt has to bite his lip to hide his own smile at the fact that even Wes isn't immune to Blaine's charm.

"David?" Wes glances over at his friend who holds up his own list.

"Okay, our next main theater performance will be on the 30th, again two performances that night for early and late diners. The list includes Blaine leading us on _Teenage Dream_, _Hey Soul Sister_ and _Everything_, the group will sing _Sloop John B_,"—There's a mixture of laughter at the appropriateness of the choice—"_Ain't No Mountain High Enough_, _Rio_," David glances at Kurt as he says it, and this time Kurt doesn't hide his smile," _Don't Stop Me Now_, and _You've Lost That Loving Feeling_, Jeff will lead us through _Here Comes the Sun_, and Kurt and Blaine," David pauses, a wide grin spreading across his face, "_Nobody Wants to Be Lonely_."

Kurt feels his face flush, and he can't even bring himself to look over at Blaine, wondering if he isn't having the same reaction. _Baby it's Cold Outside_ was playful and flirtatious but _Nobody Wants to Be Lonely_ is about longing and desire and the pain of unrequited love. And hits far too close to home! Singing that on stage with Blaine for everyone to see will be like… _No, don't think about it now, Kurt_, he silently admonishes himself. Maybe the Council will change their mind. Maybe he'll bomb it so badly they won't let it happen. Maybe…

He can already picture their voices together and knows it will be amazing.

As for the rest of the list, it's eclectic enough that it will work well for the diversity of those on a cruise, and while Kurt doesn't agree with all of the choices, he can't help but beam over the fact that they decided to give "Rio" a chance in public. Shortly after his suggestion for Sectionals, they had actually put the arrangement together during practice—not, Wes had assured him, because they planned on using it but because it was just different enough from their usual repertoire to challenge them.

"Looks like we've got some work to do." Blaine looks over at Kurt from under lashes too impossibly long to be real.

It takes Kurt a moment to respond because he's still in shock that he'll have two duets with Blaine—in front of crowds—and that Blaine is looking at him like he is, with something… Kurt can't quite put his finger one. When he finally gets his bearings, Kurt straightens and shrugs as if it's nothing. "With my voice and your charm, we'll have them eating out of our hands."

Blaine gives him one of his brightest smiles, the one that makes Kurt feel like there's nothing in the world he can't do or have or be. He basks in it for a moment before finally looking away. Above him, still leaning over the seats, the Council is quietly talking among themselves before Wes finally nods and looks out over the Warblers.

"Any questions?" He waits for a moment before continuing, "Barry, the cruise director, will be meeting us when we arrive. After we get settled, we'll get together in the performance space so we can get a feel with it and receive our schedules of performances and practices. This is going to be great, you guys! I heard there are some pretty amazing acts scheduled for the cruise, and we should be excited to be counted among them."

Kurt glances past Blaine to see no fewer than three Warblers in the immediate vicinity rolling their eyes. As the Council moves to retake their seats, David pops back up, cups his hands around his mouth like he's going to whisper something only for them and announces, "Plus, plenty of teenage girls in bikini's vacationing with their parents!"

This draws the whoops and cheers that Wes had more than likely been going for, garnering a big grin and wink from David before he disappears back into his seat.

Blaine laughs softly and looks over at Kurt with a shrug. "_Boys_. What're you gonna do?"

As the Warblers settle down, Nick waves toward the screen currently paused on Harry Potter's face, and Blaine resumes the movie. He turns to Kurt, holding out his earbud. "Sure you don't want to watch?"

Kurt shakes his head. "No, I'm good. But thanks for asking."

Nodding, Blaine slips it back into his ear, half-listening as he seems to be keeping his attention on Kurt. "Excited for the cruise? I mean, beyond the chance to see teenage girls in bikinis."

"Please. I've seen more than that on the Cheerios squad—"

"Shhhh. Don't say that too loud," Blaine warns. "We'll lose half the Warblers to that old coach of yours."

Kurt smiles. "But yeah, the cruise, singing," _with you_, "seeing the islands." He pauses, considering what little he knows about Blaine and what he's guessed about him, he asks, "This isn't probably your first cruise."

Blaine shakes his head. "No." He looks at Kurt for a long moment before adding, "But I think it'll be the best."


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt slips his passport back into his jacket pocket after showing it to what seems like the fiftieth person. He's gone through more security at the dock than he's ever had to go through at an airport. He's fairly certain with how things have gone, he'll need his passport again in a few minutes, so he's not about to tuck it away just yet. Behind him, he hears Jared pass through the security screening with a resounding:

"Is that the last of it? Please tell me that's the last of it?"

"I don't know." David steps through behind him and promptly sets off the alarm, again. He continues to refuse to take off his belt, for some reason. He adds as the agent walks up to him and motions for him to hold his arms out, "I'm kind of enjoying the pat downs."

"Guys." Wes looks up as he puts his shoes back on. "Remember, we're wearing our uniforms."

There are a few collective groans at his remark, and a few more "Don't remind me's. Kurt catches Blaine's gaze as he gathers his carry-on and shoes from the conveyer belt, and they exchange a quick smile. Finn moves up beside Kurt, still shoving his foot into his right tennis shoe. He's wearing a big grin as he's looking around the building, which doesn't really appear to be more than a giant hanger separated into two enormous rooms—one where the passengers pass through security and Kurt presumes the other is where they'll pass through to board the ship.

"You never told me boarding school guys could be so awesome." Finn finally gives up on trying squishing his foot into his shoe and bends over sticking his finger between his heel and back of the shoe. "They're like funny, and they know stuff."

Kurt raises an eyebrow at his stepbrother as Blaine joins them. "And how exactly did you expect them to be?" He tries not to cringe, waiting for Finn to say something innocently offensive.

Finn shrugs, stretching his shoulders as he does so. "I don't know… you know." He looks over at Kurt like he's really hoping he might know what he means. "I guess like boarding school girls behave."

Kurt closes his eyes and sighs. Blaine asks, "And how do they behave?"

Now Finn appears to be getting nervous, shifting from foot to foot as his eyes dart around. His voice lowers a little as he replies, "Like, having pillow fights in their underwear and stuff."

A strangled noise erupts from Blaine's throat and Kurt opens his eyes to see Blaine quickly looking away, struggling to contain ill-suppressed laughter. Nothing really helps, though, because Kendrick is walking behind Finn with Jeff trailing behind him, and he says rather loudly as they pass:

"Yeah, but nothing beats last week's pillow fight in our underwear! Except when Blaine brought the whipped cream!"

Finn's head whips around, eyes widening before he quickly turns back to Kurt. "They heard me, right? I mean-" he chances a quick look at Blaine, who is still turned away with shoulders trembling, before his eyes go back to Kurt, "You've never…"

"Finn, go find our parents before I get arrested for murdering you."

"Ummm, right." He hurries off.

Blaine bursts into laughter. Kurt sighs and mutters, "If I didn't know Carole like I do, I would swear he was raised in a barn."

"It's all right." Blaine lays a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it with obvious affection. "There's one in every family—"

"If you say 'two in mine, actually', I'm confiscating your copy of 'Lion King'."

Blaine raises his brow. "From the sounds of it, you already have."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "It was one of my favorites when I was little. Hush. We're making fun of Finn, remember?"

"Hey, guys." Carole interrupts with a smile as she approaches, one arm laden with a bunch of half sheets. She hands one to each of them, along with a pen. "Could you fill these out and sign them, please? Thanks." She hurries off to stop by each of the other boys before they can say anything.

"What now?" Kurt follows Blaine over to the group of empty chairs.

Blaine holds the sheet up and reads. "_Have you suffered from a moderate to severe cough in the last twenty-four hours_? Why yes, as a matter of fact I have. I'll just go ahead and check that and _not_ be allowed onto the ship."

"You could check the one below it saying you have Avian Flu or the West Nile Virus?" Kurt suggests, also reading. "Do they really expect people to answer this honestly?"

"It's why you constantly wash your hands once you're on board." Blaine glances at Kurt who knows instantly what he is asking, and turns to present him with his back.

Kurt smiles a little at the tickle of Blaine's pen as the sheet is pressed near his shoulder and Blaine begins checking the boxes and signing his name. "My skin will dry out. I knew I should have brought an extra bottle of moisturizer."

"They'll have some in the stateroom."

"_Cheap_ stuff."

Blaine snorts. "This is Celebrity. Not Carnival."

Laughing, Kurt turns around as Blaine finishes and offers his own back for Kurt to use. "Do you realize how snobby you just sounded?" As he lays the paper against the blue blazer, checking the two boxes and neatly—well, as neatly as he can over a shoulder blade—signs his name.

"Says the boy who refused the water the flight attendant offered because it didn't come in a bottle."

Kurt shrugs as he finishes and replaces the cap on his pen. "My point was valid. He could have gotten it from the toilet for all I know."

"Guys!" Mr. Price waves his arms from beneath the entrance into the second room. "When you're ready, head this way. It's time to get each of you assigned to your rooms so we can begin embarkation. Hurry up, please—Jared! Put Kendrick down! I can tell you now he won't fit in the trash can!"

Kurt's eyebrows shoot up as he stands and follows Blaine to where his dad, Carole and a frustrated Mr. Price are standing under the archway. His dad is watching in amusement as Mr. Price is gesturing wildly at Jared, pointing at the crest on his uniform and then flinging an arm toward the hundreds of passengers moving through the two rooms. Kurt looks over at Blaine, who doesn't seem to be paying attention to any of it, shuffling through his passport, Illinois state ID card and the half sheet of deadly diseases.

"Are they always like this when they leave Dalton?" Kurt can't help but ask.

He's used to the antics of his fellow Warblers—he's witnessed it enough when they're at ease in the dorms: shooting Nerf guns at each other, shouting matches during Halo tournaments, spit balls and the random prank. Teenage boys are… well, teenage boys, matching uniforms and zero-tolerance no bullying policies notwithstanding. So far, though, in the last eight hours of traveling, Kurt has watched as the usually staid and, occasionally boring, Warblers have completely lost their senses.

Beside him, Blaine shrugs; seeming to finally take notice of the verbal berating Mr. Price is giving poor Jared. The boy is beginning to look put upon, now that Wes has joined their faculty advisor. "Wait until they get out of uniform."

Kurt arches a brow at that. "They can get worse?"

"Don't let them out of Dalton," Blaine begins ticking off on his fingers. "Don't let them out of uniform. Don't let them out in sunlight. Oh, and don't let them around girls."

"Great, so I'm surrounded by singing Gremlins."

"Afraid so."

"—Please continue to keep your passports out." Mr. Price waves his own above the heads of the students. "You'll need them to receive your room assignment and again for security before boarding."

There are random grumblings at the mention of more security.

"As you enter through here, Mrs. Hummel will provide you with an envelope containing a schedule from Wes as well as your roommate assignment so that you can check in together. Please flag down either myself or the Hummel's if you run into any problems during check-in. Do not immediately board the ship! We will meet at the other end of the room," he throws a thumb over his shoulder, "and embark together. One last thing—behave yourselves, or I'm going to start writing people up, got it?"

The murmurs of assent are half-hearted, and Kurt assumes won't hold for long anyway. After all, once they're onboard and allowed to change out of their uniforms for a time, Mr. Price will be hard pressed to keep an eye on them. The group begins shuffling forward, and Kurt can't help but smile as he watches Carole interact with each of the Warblers, looking completely in her element. He has no doubt she'll be a surrogate mother to each of them in a few days time. Not that he's really in the mood to share; sure, Finn has dibs on her, but so does Kurt. There isn't really room for anyone else, in his opinion.

"Man, I hate my passport pic," Nick grumbles as he joins Kurt and Blaine. "I look like an idiot."

"Everyone takes bad passport pictures," Kurt assures him. "Well, except me. Mine came out quite nice, actually." He peers over Nick's shoulder and his eyes widen. "Oh, wow. You do look like an idiot."

In the photo, Nick's hair is sticking out on one side, and the expression on his face looks as if someone had just woken him from a particularly scary nightmare. His eyes even appear a little crossed.

"Huh." Blaine is looking at it now, too. "I don't think he looks anymore idiotic than usual."

Kurt laughs because, as usual, he's completely caught off-guard in those rare moments when Blaine decides to tease someone. It doesn't happen very often, and usually it's just some gentle, good-natured tease that Blaine will follow up with a smile to soften the blow. Except this time, Blaine simply returns his attention to the line, although the twitch of a contained smile is clearly visible at the corner of his lips.

Typically, such comments are only directed at Kurt, and usually when they're alone because those seem to be the only moments where Blaine is something other than the ideal Dalton student. In fact, only twice in all of the time Kurt has known Blaine has he seen him tease someone else—and those had been directed at Wes and David, both of whom Kurt has begun to consider Blaine's older brothers. As Kurt's laughter ends, and he realizes how rare this is, he finds himself looking again at Nick, wondering if he and Blaine share a closer friendship than he'd noticed.

"You know, Blaine," Nick begins. "The only reason we haven't snuck into your room at night and shaved your head is 'cause you'd look funny as our frontman."

"Dude," Jeremiah pushes past them to get ahead in line. "He _already_ looks funny as our frontman."

Blaine just shakes his head with a slight smile in response while beside him, Kurt silently fights not say something stupid and completely embarrassing like _I think he looks beautiful_ or _You're just jealous because you don't look like a 1940's film star_. It's ridiculous, and possessive, and Kurt knows full well everything being said is just a joke. He hasn't been with the Warblers long but he's been there long enough to realize there isn't a boy in the group that doesn't genuinely like and respect Blaine. And it would, in fact, be entirely creepy if Kurt hadn't fallen for Blaine and already developed his own opinion of how perfect the lead soloist is long before he'd gotten to know the Warblers. Now it's just like being part of an unspoken fan club. One that, oddly enough, Kurt doesn't think Blaine realizes exists.

"Here, honey." Carole pulls Kurt from his thoughts as she hands him his envelope. She smiles at Blaine as she gives him his own.

Kurt isn't quite so wrapped up in his own fantasies to believe for a moment that he is lucky enough to have gotten assigned to a room with Blaine. After all, his dad had spent the last eight hours with Mr. Price, and they'd been talking a lot. And while Kurt is certain the words "my son has a crush on that Blaine" never left the elder Hummel's mouth, he also understands there is no way his dad and Carole would expect Finn to be roomed with some guy he doesn't know and may not get along with. His thoughts are confirmed as Finn walks up with a grin.

"Looks like we're roomies, bro."

"Great," Kurt says with at least some enthusiasm because he has missed Finn, and they haven't really had the opportunity to talk much since the wedding. One brief weekend that Kurt had made it home, and they'd spent most of it shoveling snow off the driveway. Still his eyes stray toward Blaine, who is glancing through the information in his envelope as Holden walks up to him and begins talking.

Kurt brightens a bit. Holden and Finn seemed to be getting along well. Maybe they'll want to hang out in one of the rooms watching movies or something, and then he and Blaine can hang out in the other. The arrangement might just work out, after all.

Checking into their rooms is relatively painless. Their passports are taken, and their information is confirmed, and they hand over their half sheets of deadly diseases, during which Finn has to ask why getting on a ship seems more dangerous than walking into a hospital. The guy behind the desk just laughs and doesn't answer before handing each of them their passcards. He explains that the passcard is basically their life—it's not just their room key, it's their ID for the entire time they are on the ship whether embarking or disembarking, it is what they're to use for any purchases they make, including soft drinks. Finn looks a little freaked out by the time he's finished, and Kurt has to quietly assure him that he's certain they can find him a lanyard if he's really that worried he might lose the thing.

"But what happens if you _do_ lose it?" Finn whispers as they walk away. "Do you like, get locked in the brig or something? Left at the next port?"

"I doubt it's anything quite that drastic." Kurt's attention instantly wanders from his stepbrother when he notices that Blaine is waiting for him at the edge of the check-in lines.

"Everything all right?" he asks, smiling at Kurt before glancing up at Finn.

"Dude," Finn says, holding up his passcard. "Don't _lose_ this thing."

Blaine laughs a little and nods. "Yeah, I kind of got that impression, too."

It takes another ten minutes or so before all of the boys are through the line and gathered in front of Mr. Price who is counting heads and muttering something to Kurt's dad about the insanity of taking seventeen—"excuse me, _eighteen_ counting your stepson"—teenage boys on a cruise. Carole responds, and while Kurt can't make out all of her words, he does hear her say "well-behaved", and he knows she's probably picturing every moment Puck had ever invaded her house.

"All right, it looks like we're all here," Mr. Price announces. "Once onboard, you are free to find your staterooms, which should all be on deck five. Your luggage has already been delivered to your stateroom or will be before we depart. Wes wants you to make certain you check your schedules because you'll be meeting tonight—uniforms stay on until after the meeting!"

Blaine leans in to Kurt. "Hear that? We're safe until then."

They go through yet another set of security agents, who eye their passports and passcards with the scrutiny a judge might give to an axe-murderer, and after they are allowed to pass they are immediately bombarded by well-meaning photographers who want to take their photos in front of ridiculous matte paintings. Their three council members are already lined up together in front of a fake beach to take one, and on the other side, Nick, Jeff, Byron and Dean are taking another with a fake sunset behind them. Dean gives a peace sign just before the camera clicks.

"Want to?" Blaine asks.

Kurt is about to give a very adamant response of "no", when Finn is already walking over to the horrible beach, saying how much fun this is going to be, and then Holden is joining him, pushing his younger brother Brett along, and before Kurt can answer, Blaine has his hand and is tugging him into the picture. They get stuck in the middle, being the smallest among the group of five, and Finn, Holden and Brett are all offering various hand gestures of horns and hang-loose. Kurt isn't quite certain what to do with his until he realizes Blaine hasn't let go of the hand he was holding.

Oh.

The camera flashes and Kurt is pretty certain he blinked.

He and Finn end up standing in front of the fake sunset as well with their parents, and by the time it's all over and they are finally, finally making their way across the gangplank, he has made a silent vow not to take another picture for the entire cruise.

"_Love_," David says suddenly, stepping between Kurt and Blaine, and he grins as he continues, singing, "_Exciting and new_."

Kurt gapes. They are _not_.

"_Come aboard_," Holden takes over. "_We're expecting you_…"

And Kurt looks with a mixture of disbelief and fondness at Blaine as he joins in, singing, "_And love, life's sweetest reward_—"

"_Let it flow_," Wes picks up, "_It floats back to you_!"

And then all of the Warblers—yes, even Kurt because he isn't used to the Warblers being quite so spontaneous, and this is what he misses so much from New Directions—sing:

"_The Love Boat soon will be making another run._

_The Love Boat promises something for everyone!_

_Set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance_

_And love won't hurt anymore_

_It's an open smile on a friendly shore!_

_It's love_!"

The passengers around them, as well as some crew members, break out into enthusiastic applause as the boy's finish. Kurt is rolling his eyes heavenward, wondering if maybe he shouldn't be back in Ohio, escaping the winter's cold at the mall with Mercedes and sanity, but he's laughing with the others, and sharing a smile with Blaine that he wouldn't miss out on for the world.

Behind him, he hears Finn say excitedly, "Man, this cruise is gonna be awesome!"


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: First, I just want to thank everyone for the lovely reviews! They really mean a lot to me! This fic really just started off as a lark that was going to be fun and fluffy and short, and now the boys have kind of taken off and made it their own. Still, I know there is an end in sight, I just have to get there, and even then we're still looking at probably another dozen or so chapters before we get there. It is a ten-day cruise, after all. This installment is already a lot longer than previous ones.  
_

_And for those who asked, I thought I would include a little listing of what names I gave to each of the actors portraying the Warblers so you can put a face with them. Obviously, we know the Warblers who have names on the show: Wes - Telly Leung, David - Titus Makin, Thad – Eddy Martin, Nick - Curt Mega, Jeff - Riker Lynch. There's the rumor of Flint - Luke Edgemon, so I went with it. My own names include: Braden - Nelson Beato, Byron - Dominic Barnes, Brett - Matt Hall, Holden - Jon Hall, Galen - Aaron Clemens Page, Jared - Cord Jackman, Jeremiah - James David, Kendrick - Brock Baker, Dean – Stephen Skyler._

_Hope you guys continue to enjoy this! I'm having a lot of fun writing it._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Maybe you could sleep sitting up?" Kurt offers helpfully.

He and Finn are in their room, staring at the two tiny twin beds. Even Kurt, with his recent growth spurt, isn't entirely certain that his toes won't be hanging off the end of the mattress. But Finn… poor Finn. If his stepbrother were to lie down on the floor, he'd be about the width of the room itself. The bed is about a foot shorter than that. They continue to stare at it, as if somehow that will make it stretch itself to fit Finn, but it just sits there being tiny.

Shrugging his shoulders in defeat, Kurt carries his bags over to his bed on the other side of the room closest to the tiny porthole and the desk, and carefully sets them on top of the covers. It's been over forty-five minutes since they boarded, and he still has the urge to pinch himself to verify that this place is even real.

At the end of the gangplank onto the boat, there had been another security line to go through, though not as bad as all of the others. There they just had to look into a little red little and swipe their passcards. Once through the line, they entered the main foyer on the third deck where a beautiful grand staircase stretched up through the center of the room, surrounded by two-story high Christmas trees, dangling lighted snowflakes, and potted poinsettias on every marble step. Dozens of crew members, decked out in their uniforms, lined either side of the entrance, welcoming them aboard and wishing them a "Merry Christmas", and Kurt had been certain he'd never said "Thank you" and "Merry Christmas to you, too" so many times in his life. And he even ignored a few of them—Blaine had actually taken the time to speak to each and every crewmember who spoke to him.

Sometimes he's certain Blaine isn't a real human being.

They had been serving free champagne and mimosas and orange juice, and no one seemed to notice (or maybe seemed to care) when Holden, Jared and Kendrick all helped themselves to the champagne. Wes had Mr. Price engaged in conversation, so he hadn't seen them. His fellow Warblers had been lucky that it had been his dad who'd caught them. His dad just stood in front of them, arms crossed over his chest, staring them down with just a look until they'd set their half-drank glasses down and murmured their apologies.

And then Burt had said, "If I have to drink the OJ, so do you."

Kurt had been so wrapped up in the sights, sounds and overwhelming feel of the ship around him that he'd lost track of Blaine. He had turned to find Finn behind him, waving his passcard in his face, gripping the plastic card so tightly (as if afraid to drop it) that his knuckles were white.

"Wanna go find our room?"

And here they are. And while it is, admittedly, a bit tiny and claustrophobic inducing, Kurt knows he won't be spending much time in here. He can also admit that the amenities are impressive, including two robes for their use, a silver water carafe and matching ice bucket with tongs already filled, a flat screen TV, fully stocked minifridge and, much to Kurt's delight, every imaginable, and yet often forgotten convenience including cotton balls and q-tips. In fact, it was the bathroom that pleased him the most with its oversized mirror and enough cabinets and drawers to neatly put away every toiletry he'd brought along with him.

By the time Kurt has emptied his bags, Finn is still trying to find a way to fit on his bed. He lies down in various uncomfortable looking positions, and sighs a lot. Finally, he just lays there on his back, his legs dangling over the foot of the bed, and reaches for the remote. Kurt ignores him as he begins flipping through the menu, too busy fixing his hair in the mirror, and occasionally glancing through the Warblers schedule, to care what his stepbrother is doing.

"Wow. They have some good movies on here! "The Social Network_"_, "Inception"—"

"Because you're here to watch movies, Finn. Yes, that's the reason to be on a cruise."

"Well, you know, at night maybe. It's not like…" Finn trails off.

Finally satisfied with his hair, Kurt slips the schedule into his pocket, straightens his tie and turns to find his stepbrother staring wide-eyed at the TV screen. "Finn, what-?" Kurt looks at the screen, and feels his own eyes widen as well. Huh. That's unexpected.

Finn had obviously been scrolling through the genres of movies. At the bottom of the list was Gay – Male-Male. Sighing in annoyance, Kurt reaches over and snatches the remote from his stepbrother's hand, turning the TV off. "Really, Finn?"

"Dude, I didn't put it there!"

"Obviously, but you didn't exactly ignore, either. Did you? You could have just scrolled back up and continued with your perusing, but no, you wanted me to see it."

"Kurt, that's not what-"

"Whatever, Finn." He moves past the bed to head for the door.

Behind him, Finn stands. "Dude, what's your problem? You're acting like I was all 'Hey, Kurt look! I bet you'd like this stuff!'"

"I'm sure it's what you were thinking," Kurt mutters.

"That's totally not—why would you even-what the hell, dude?"

Kurt doesn't know why they're arguing; he doesn't know why he accused Finn or feels so angry. He thinks it might have to do with the fact that it's the first time they've really been around each other since the wedding, and Kurt suddenly feels the need to be on the defensive. It's unfair to Finn because he hasn't done anything to deserve it, but Kurt knows there's something here, in this room, that he hasn't experienced in his last few weeks at Dalton. Or maybe, he just hasn't let himself. Dalton isn't the Utopia he originally imagined, but not once has he found himself worrying that someone might say something to hurt him.

Not once.

"Kurt-"

"Look, Finn, I'm sorry," Kurt says without looking at him. "Can we just _not_, okay?"

There's a light knock at the door, and Kurt feels relief flood him because he knows the sound of Blaine's familiar tap. He turns away from his stepbrother and pulls the door open and his friend is smiling at him, eyes all gold and green and perfect. And Kurt really wishes that this time it could make him feel better, but it really doesn't.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah." He glances back at Finn who's just standing there frowning at him. "Tell dad I'll try to find him for dinner." He then hurries into the hall and closes the door before Finn can respond.

And Blaine knows him far better than he sometimes realizes. "What's going on?" He lays his hand against Kurt's back as they make their way down the hall. "You're tense."

"I don't really want to talk about it." It takes a few moments of them walking in silence for Kurt to realize he had snapped his words. "I'm sorry. I just meant can we talk about it later?"

Blaine gives him a gentle smile and nod. "Sure." And just like that the topic is dropped.

The Celebrity Theater seats one thousand and looks like one of those old opera houses with two levels, side balconies, heavily draped in burgundy with plush burgundy seats, each with their own tiny glass table for cocktails. The ceiling above is a giant dome of dark blue stained glass filled with stars tucked unobtrusively amongst the lighting fixtures. The stage itself is slightly rounded, with a hidden area in the far back for the musicians, and tall enough for two-story sets. Wes, David and Thad are on the stage when they arrive, running through some of their arrangements while the rest of the Warblers look on from the audience. A tall, smiling man in a light grey suit is standing off to the side, watching quietly as he takes a few notes on a sheaf of paper.

The man they come to find out is their cruise director, Steve. He never gives them his last name—he's just Steve. "If you see me around the ship, remember to come up and say 'Hi, Steve!'" he tells them with a big smile as he makes his way around to shake the hand of each and every Warbler.

Kurt decides he likes Steve, which he supposes is the point of a cruise director.

Steve is full of energy. Steve is exceedingly happy. Steve already seems to know each and every one of their names. Kurt actually finds himself getting a little exhausted as he listens to Steve tell them how everything operates on the ship with regards to the entertainment—but they don't have to worry about too much of it because they are invited guests, and not really part of the entertainment crew who have to abide by very strict rules. Jeff ends up asking the question they're all thinking—what kind of rules? And Steve goes on at length as to how the hired entertainment eats with the crew, aren't allowed in the formal dining room unless invited by guests to sit at their table, and cannot avail themselves of any of the public areas such as the pools, lounges, etc.

"Remind me not to get a job on a cruise ship," Galen remarks behind Kurt. Flint quickly agrees.

Of course, they have their own itinerary they have to abide by. They are each given a shiny brass nametag that they're expected to wear at all times while in their uniforms; Kurt can't help but smile at the simple rush of pleasure he feels at seeing "Kurt" written in fancy script letter across the oval pin. He begins attaching it to his lapel when Blaine reaches over to help him. Kurt flushes at the assistance, and then offers to help Blaine with his, which his friend accepts. And maybe Kurt takes a little longer than necessary to lean in and fasten it, but after all, it's important to make certain it is centered and straight. Once in place, he brushes his thumb over "Blaine" just to assure there are no smudges left behind. He can't even bring himself to meet Blaine's gaze as he pulls away and returns his attention to Steve.

They have two formal performances in the main theater—the night after Christmas, and the night before New Year's Eve. On the other nights, they are expected to perform for one hour in various areas around the ship: the grand foyer, the Rendez-Vous Lounge, the Cova Café, Ocean Cafe Bar, and the pool deck. On New Year's Eve they are also invited to join the festivities on the pool deck with the ship's band, Sipra, and the Celebrity _Millennium_'s very own singers and dancers.

Kurt finds himself back to being exhausted.

"Other than that, the rest of the time is yours to do as you wish," Steve tells them, clapping his hands together. "Again, I want to thank you all for being here—we're really looking forward to seeing you perform! Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get things ready for the drill. You guys can continue to use this space for the next twenty minutes, but we'll need it for drill purposes after. Have fun, guys! And remember if you see me, say hi!"

They're all silent as Steve exits the theater, and then Braden turns to Blaine and looks him up and down. "Man, you're totally the Warbler cruise director!"

Everyone laughs, and whole-heartedly agrees, and Kurt finds it adorable because for once, it's Blaine who appears to be blushing, shaking his head and sighing as if the Warblers are children he's stuck having to put up with. Kurt kind of wishes he'd stop finding more reasons to fall in love with his friend.

Meanwhile, Wes seems lost without his gavel. Now that Steve has left, the Warblers are losing focus, and as much as Wes tries to get their attention, he just can't. Kurt watches and feels a little sorry for him when Wes finally grabs Blaine and leans in to whisper to him.

"Hey guys," Blaine calls out. "Give Wes a moment, okay?"

And like that, there's silence. Kurt can't help but arch a brow, even though it's not the first time he's seen it happen.

Kendrick leans near Kurt and whispers, "For his next trick, Blaine's gonna walk on water."

It's kind of funny, and kind of not. Kurt realizes this is what a leader looks like, and he can't help but find himself imaging what New Directions would look like with Blaine there. Would he be able to exert the same influence? Or would he be swept up into the chaos the same as everyone?

Kurt thinks about what he knows of Blaine, and what he's seen of his friend outside of Dalton's sway. For some reason, he thinks Blaine would love the loss of control, the lack of predictability. If someone were to ask him what is the one thing about Blaine that strikes him most—beyond being the most beautiful and amazing boy he knows—Kurt would say it's the restlessness that seems so visible beneath the veneer of calm. Blaine seems to need an outlet; that much is undeniably visible every time he performs.

"I want everyone here at seven am tomorrow for practice," Wes continues talking above the groans, "And again tomorrow afternoon at two. Seriously, guys. We don't have much time to practice in this space, so we need to take advantage of every opportunity. We're at sea all day tomorrow, so you'll have plenty of time for swimming and whatever else. I want us prepared for both our performances around the ship tomorrow night, and our big holiday performance the following night. Okay, I think we all need to get ready for the drill. Remember—seven am _sharp_!"

"What drill are they talking about?" Kurt hears Jeff ask Nick as they begin walking out.

Nick is rolling his eyes. "Did you like not read the signs all over your room? Listen to the announcement over the intercom? Pay any attention to anything ever? Are you even on the same planet as the rest of us?"

Smiling, Kurt waits as Blaine joins him and they make their way out of the theater. "I think we all have the same muster station," Blaine says. "Aft cinema or something."

"Muster station," Kurt says and laughs. "It sounds like we're in the Navy. Best innuendo ever."

Blaine quirks an eyebrow at this, and they both dissolve into giggles.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
_

The drill was decidedly anticlimactic. Kurt thought they might at least get to see the lifeboats up close, but it turns out they were simply ushered into their muster stations where they were to go in case of an emergency. The crew then gave them a lesson on how to put on their lifejackets, and Steve the cruise director detailed over the intercom how guests were expected to behave while onboard. It was also explained that departure time had been extended by forty-five minutes as they were waiting for last minute passengers who had missed a connecting flight. The drill was ridiculously long because after all of that everything they had just heard was reiterated in Spanish and French. Before long, every Warbler had their phone out and getting in last minutes texts before they were in International waters. Kurt took the chance to send a few quick holiday wishes off to Mercedes, Tina, Brittany and Quinn before turning off his phone before he forgot. He really didn't want to hand his dad a ridiculous phone bill of roaming charges on top of the tuition at Dalton.

"I am starving!" Holden groans as the passengers are finally informed that the drill is over.

There are collective agreements from the group that it is definitely time to grab something to eat.

"You coming?" Blaine asks as Kurt scans the crowd.

"Yeah, I just—" He finally spots his dad, Carole and Finn, and takes a step in their direction. "I'm just going to ask my family if they've eaten yet. Be right there," he tells Blaine before pushing his way through the throng of people to reach his dad's side.

"Hey, kid." His dad greets with a smile. "Was wondering if we were gonna see you tonight or not."

"Sorry. The Warblers had a meeting. Have you guys eaten yet?"

"We were just waiting on you, honey," Carole tells him. Beside her, Finn grumbles.

"Tell me about it. I'm starving and they won't let me eat! I was gonna order room service and they told me I had to wait." Finn looks as if maybe everything is okay between them, or at least he's pretending it is. He says to Kurt, "Did you know we get room service like everything else? Anything we want, whenever we want, and no charge? Dude, burgers at three am! This place is like Disneyland or something."

Kurt smiles relieved that things seem all right between him and his stepbrother, and follows his family out of the cinema. Most of the Warblers are up ahead, moving ahead of them up the staircase toward deck ten where the Ocean Café is located. Blaine notices him as he's about to round the banister and makes a motion that he'll see him up there. Kurt nods, knowing he should probably hang out with his family for the time being. After all, it is Christmas Eve, even if it doesn't feel like it.

"Will you be singing a lot?" Carole asks him as they make their way up the stairs.

"Every night for at least a few songs. Wes wants to begin rehearsals in the morning."

"Dude, sorry you don't get to enjoy the cruise."

"It's kind of why we're here, Finn. Besides, it's not like we're doing it twenty-four seven."

"Just the same," Burt says, looking over at Kurt. "I'd like to spend some time together as a family tomorrow. It _is_ Christmas, ya know?"

"I know, Dad. I promise."

When they enter the Ocean Café, a few of the Warblers are gathered just inside the entrance where Holden is on his knees, fake weeping. His brother, Brett, is patting him on the shoulder while around them David, Flint, Kendrick and Byron look on in wonder. All of the others seem to have already gotten in line for food. Kurt scans for Blaine who he sees standing near the line having a conversation with Wes.

Finn asks the question they're all wondering, "What's up?"

Holden waves a hand toward the buffet. "Have you ever seen anything so amazing? It's like never-ending. It just keeps going and going and going…"

Burt snorts and pushes his way past the Warblers, commenting to Carole how Celebrity will regret the day they invited eighteen growing teenage boys on a cruise.

"Dude, Holden has a point," Finn says to Kurt. "I actually, like, can't see the end of the buffet."

Kurt lays a hand on his shoulder. "So, what are you standing here waiting for?"

Finn flashes him a big smile and hurries off.

"Come on, big guy," David says, reaching down to help Holden off the floor. "Let's go eat."

Kurt hangs back in an effort not to get trampled. By the time he makes his way over to the line, Blaine has finished his conversation with Wes and seems to be waiting for him. Ever the gentleman, he hands Kurt a tray and set of utensils wrapped in a cloth napkin.

"I already scoped the place," his friend informs him. "The salad bar is around the corner. They also have a nice selection of pasta salads and anti-pasta, in case you want to switch things up."

Kurt knows he's being teased and shoulder bumps his friend as he says, "At least I won't have a paunch in ten years from eating too much fried food."

Blaine laughs. "Paunch or no paunch, you'll love me still."

Kurt can't help but feel his face flame at how close that statement is to the truth.

"So I thought maybe after we eat, we could go up to deck eleven and watch as the ship leaves harbor," Blaine suggests, leaning against the counter as Kurt stops to fill a plate of salad. "It's kind of cool to see something this big turn itself around on a dime."

"Sure," Kurt says with a shrug, pleased at how nonchalant he sounds about the whole thing. He motions with the tongs he is holding toward the greenery around him. "Salad?"

"No, thanks."

"Paunch," Kurt reminds him with a grin.

"More of me to love." Blaine winks.

Kurt sets his bowl on his tray and turns away from Blaine, thinking how he couldn't possibly survive loving more of him.

The Warblers and Kurt's family have somehow ended up congregated together in the back of the restaurant, taking up no fewer than six tables and running off pretty much everyone else. Kurt and Blaine slide into a table for two that is right next to the table shared by Burt, Carole, and Finn. Kurt stares down at the floor beneath them where a giant window is under his feet, looking straight into the water of the harbor. Blaine leans over, looking into it with him.

"Isn't that the coolest thing ever?" Finn asks them both as he snaps a picture with his phone. "Though, it'd be a little cooler if there were something more there than, you know, just water."

Kurt and Blaine exchange an amused glance.

The next thirty minutes are a study in the Dalton boys outside of the Academy. Meals in the dining hall at Dalton are relatively pleasant affairs with quiet conversations contained from table to table, and polite table manners observed by all. Kurt is surprised to see that Blaine had not been kidding; outside of Dalton all of the Warblers (minus maybe Wes and possibly Galen) seem to shed the trappings of prep school students and revert to simple teenage boys. Ties are loosened, jackets are removed, food is tossed and voices are raised. In fact, twice Burt has to call out a warning to the boys to get them to simmer down.

And seeing this first hand suddenly makes Blaine's out-of-school transformation not quite as startling. It's at once relieving and troubling to him. On the one hand, Kurt is pleased that it isn't just some inexplicable trait of Blaine's to transform between two seemingly different people. On the other, Kurt is beginning to wonder if he isn't destined to develop the same trait; that maybe he's already lost himself at Dalton.

And at what point does the Dalton persona refuse to be shed?

_XXXXXXXXXXXX_

It's windy but warm as Kurt and Blaine make their way onto deck eleven, which simply wraps all the way around the ship, from aft to bow, filled with lounge chairs that the crew is currently tying to the railing for the night, and long stretches of empty deck. There aren't as many passengers up here as Kurt expected to see—from what he overheard, most of the Warblers were planning to watch "Christmas Vacation" in the cinema. He's thankful for the reprieve; for getting to see Blaine every day now, they rarely spend much of that time alone. Between dorm mates and roommates and classmates and Warblers, Kurt can count on ten fingers the amount of time he and Blaine have spent together alone in the last week.

Blaine is walking silently beside him, jacket off and hooked with one finger over his shoulder, his other hand in the pocket of his pants pocket. Kurt bites his lip as he watches him out of the corner of his eye. It's not the first time he's thought Blaine looks like someone who just walked right out of an old black and white movie with his slicked-back hair and movie star looks.

Sometimes, Kurt wants to pinch himself to remind him that this is real; that this boy sang to him (a moment that still fuels his dreams), that he now gets to see him daily, and that Blaine has become an extension of himself, a part of himself that Kurt hadn't ever realized had been missing from his life.

If it has to stay just like this, forever, Kurt thinks he's okay with that. He loves Blaine—that much is certain—and as much as he longs to tell him, he fears the repercussions. He doesn't want to lose Blaine from his life, and his track record isn't exactly stellar when it comes to establishing the reciprocated feelings of others. He just can't read Blaine when it comes to the two of them, and he doesn't want to take the chance that he might be reading something more into it out of sheer force of will. After all, he's seen firsthand that Blaine is exceedingly kind to everyone. He listens to every person who talks to him, he empathizes in ways Kurt has trouble understanding. It's entirely possible that Blaine is simply being a friend to him.

And Kurt almost has himself convinced that it's enough.

"You're awfully quiet," Blaine comments, and Kurt realizes that his friend has been looking at him for the last few moments.

"I could accuse you of the same."

Blaine smiles. "Touché."

Of a seemingly like mind, they both pause at the railing overlooking the pools, and Kurt leans against it, glancing down where crew are stretching netting over the two pools and four hot tubs. "For some reason, I expected bigger pools," he remarks.

"Me, too," Blaine agrees. "Though I think there's one in the day spa as well, though it's technically indoors."

"I am totally going to beg my dad for a facial. I was looking over their list of treatments, and after dealing with the dry weather back home, my skin is crying out for a little pampering."

Blaine is leaning on the railing beside him now, really close, and Kurt tries not to be nervous over the scrutiny as he feels his friend's gaze moving over him. "I think you're skin is perfect."

Kurt doesn't know what to say to that, and luckily he doesn't have to worry about it because Blaine is pulling back just as quickly as he said it, already wandering off. "Come on!" He calls back. "I want a good spot on the bow."

This is exactly why Kurt is cautious about saying anything.

Pulling away from the railing, he catches up to Blaine and they continue on toward the bow in silence. Again, there aren't many people around: a couple curled up on one of the lounge chairs, four little boys chasing each other around the bow pretending to be superheroes—Kurt laughs when one announces "I'm Wonder Woman!"—a group of adults toward the back holding beers and laughing among themselves.

Blaine tosses his jacket on to one of the empty lounge chairs and walks toward the railing at the very front of the bow. It's not like it is in movies—it isn't just a railing and then open to the ocean. Apparently there is too great a danger of suicides or something because there is a full metal wall built up around it. Still, Blaine stands there examining the odd structure for a moment, and Kurt hugs himself as he watches because the wind is picking up and while it's not cold, it's cutting through the thin material of his uniform.

"What are you doing?" Kurt calls out as Blaine grabs hold of one of the metal bars and hauls himself upwards to peer over the wall.

And it hits Kurt, just as his friend throws his arms out wide, and he immediately begins shaking his head. "Blaine, don't—Blaine, I swear I will run away in mortification—Blaine!"

"I'm King of the world! Woohoo!"

Kurt is caught between disbelief, horror and laughter as Blaine stands on a piece of metal plating at the bow of the ship, boosting him up a few inches over the solid wall so he can hold his hands in the air and mimic Leo's famous line from "Titanic". Kurt really does want to run away in mortification, but Blaine just looks so… adorable, and is obviously having such a good time humiliating both himself and his friend that all Kurt can really do is laugh. He can feel his cheeks flushing from the dozen or so other people who are on the bow with them as they watch and smile at Blaine's antics, and he wishes his friend would just climb back down and stop being so…

Adorable.

Blaine twists slightly, looking down at Kurt and holding out his hand to him. "C'mere."

"No." Kurt shakes his head resolutely. "I absolutely will not allow you to embarrass me further."

"Come up here or I am going to think of something really and truly humiliating to do in front of your dad."

Kurt pulls a face. "You don't play fair, do you?"

Blaine just smiles, and wriggles his fingers in invitation.

Sighing, Kurt steps forward, slipping his hand into Blaine's and allowing himself to be pulled up on the metal plate with him. Blaine leans back slightly so that Kurt can slide in front of him, and _oh_, Kurt hadn't expected to have Blaine's arm slipping around his waist to hold him. Their hands are still clasped, and Blaine's fingers are moving slowly over his palm. They've held hands before—often, in fact—but there's something different this time, Kurt can feel it. Maybe it's the freedom of the ship and the open sea before them. Maybe it's the fact that none of the people around them seem to care. Kurt feels Blaine lean his chin on his shoulder, and there's just the sound of the engines churning somewhere far beneath them, and the ship breaking through the waves as it slowly moves out of port.

Blaine's arm tightens slightly around Kurt's waist, and really, he should have been prepared for it and not surprised in the least when Blaine begins singing softly into his ear:

"_Come Josephine in my flying machine_

_And it's up she goes, up she goes_"

Kurt is thankful for Blaine's hold on him because he is laughing so hard, he can't help it. "You are certifiable, you know that? Also, you're like 13 years too late!"

"Sing with me, Kurt." Blaine hums the tune.

"I am not singing that. I am not shouting about being King of the world. And no, you don't get to draw me naked on a couch, either."

"You're really no fun," Blaine says with a laugh.

"I may deign to sing _My Heart Will Go On_, if you behave." Kurt pauses, and then adds, "You're not allowed to die, though." He ignores the fact that his voice catches at the end, and he hopes Blaine didn't notice.

"Wouldn't think of it," Blaine replies. "Besides, where we're going is severely lacking in ice bergs."

Kurt elbows him hard in the stomach.

"Oof." Blaine's arm around him tightens a little, and they both fall into silence.

The lights of Puerto Rico surround them as the ship continues to slowly slip out of the harbor toward the open sea. Blaine hasn't released Kurt's hand, his thumb still stroking over his palm, his chin still resting on his shoulder. Kurt can feel his heart beating against his back. He finds himself not wanting to breathe for fear of ruining this moment, ending it. So he closes his eyes, forcing himself to relax in Blaine's embrace, and there's the wind and the ocean and the engines, Blaine's heartbeat and the sound of his breathing against Kurt's ear, and Kurt can't help but think _I never knew it could be like this_.

He feels Blaine shift slightly behind him, fingers locking with Kurt's, and he almost swears Blaine's lips brush his ear as he whispers, "Merry Christmas Eve, Kurt."

Kurt smiles. "Merry Christmas Eve, Blaine."


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you again to all of the warm responses to this fic! I'm really glad you are enjoying it! This chapter is some more fun and happy making. The next one, unfortunately, starts leading into some angst that I hadn't meant to put there but the boys kind of ran away with the story and made it their own! _

_Thanks again! I love receiving all of the story alert and review notifications!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When Kurt wakes up the next morning, it's to find that Finn apparently made it back to the room without waking him. His stepbrother hadn't been there when Blaine had walked him back after spending more than an hour watching the ship make its way out to the ocean. He couldn't help it, but when Blaine had returned to his own room after saying goodnight to Kurt at his door, Kurt had felt an enormous wave of disappointment sweep over him. The night had been perfect, romantic in ways he never could have imagined. If there had ever been a time for Blaine to make a move, to give him some signal that he considered Kurt as more than just a friend, it would have been then.

But nothing. Not even a peck on the cheek. Just "Goodnight, Kurt", and then he was gone.

Kurt had needed to talk to someone, even Finn, but his room had been empty, so he laid on his bed and moped. He had tried not to let negative thoughts creep in, the ones that said _You can't even get the one gay guy you know to return your feelings_, but they came anyway. He'd fallen asleep hugging one of the four pillows on his bed to his chest.

He considers waking Finn as he gets ready for the Warblers practice, if only to apologize for his behavior the night before, but figures his stepbrother would be more upset at being awakened this early than for their stupid argument. So he lets him sleep and quietly makes his way out of the room.

Pocketing his passcard, Kurt looks up to see Nick making his way down the corridor toward him, looking half asleep and none too happy about it.

"Morning," Kurt greets brightly when Nick grunts a greeting. "Did you go to the movie with the others last night?"

"Yeah." Nick yawns. "And then we ended up drinking way too much coffee in the Cova lounge while surfing the web on Flint's laptop."

"Wait. Isn't the internet like really expensive on the ship?"

"We pooled our money," Nick says with a shrug. "We only meant to do it for like, an hour, but then we had so much coffee we were wide awake."

"Yeah. Probably ought to beware of caffeine past midnight."

"Tell me about it." He runs a hand through his hair. "What about you?"

"Oh. Umm, Blaine and I watched the ship leave the harbor. Then he walked me back to my room and… I went to bed."

Nick snorts.

Glancing over at the boy beside him, Kurt notices that Nick is pulling a face. "What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?"

"Huh? Oh. Nothing. Just…" Nick pauses and Kurt waits him out. "Not surprised. That's all."

Kurt arches a brow. "Are you saying we're boring?"

"What? No. Not at all."

And Kurt believes him. Believes him because it sounds like there's something he's not saying. Kurt is about to ask exactly what that might be when apparently Nick realizes he's been caught.

"Hey, there's Kendrick!" Nick hurries off ahead of him before Kurt can reach out and snatch him back.

Frowning, Kurt finds himself worrying over what Nick might be intimating as he follows the other Warblers into the Celebrity Theatre.

About half of the a cappella group is present so far, most lounging in the chairs set along the front row. Thad and David are sitting on the edge of the stage chatting while behind them, Wes is pacing and glancing at his watch every few moments. Kurt sees Blaine almost immediately—leaning against the stage near the last chair of the front row talking to Braden. He flashes a welcoming smile as Kurt approaches though his conversation prevents him from saying anything.

Kurt, still harboring some lingering hurt over Blaine's apparent lack of interest the night before, slips into the first seat of the second row, and pretends not to watch his friend. He checks his nails, which are really in need of a manicure, and brushes at some imaginary lint on his slacks. He realizes as he listens in on the conversation that they are discussing the Buckeye's, of all things, and wonders briefly if he shouldn't do a little more than simply tolerate Blaine's interest in sports. He could always ask his dad to provide him some information so that he could actually engage Blaine in such conversations, if that's what it takes.

_Great. Here you go trying to change yourself for another man, again_, Kurt thinks with a huff.

"Isn't it a little early in the morning to be frowning?"

Kurt blinks, having not realized that Blaine's conversation had ended, and he's now standing over Kurt, hands in his pockets, smiling down at him. "What?"

Blaine laughs. "What has you so deep in thought?"

"Nothing a baseball bat to the head wouldn't fix." _Then maybe I could forget all about you_.

"Ouch." Blaine offers a sympathetic look and then holds out his hand. "Well, come on. I'll get you to forget all about it. While we wait on the latecomers to show, let's run through our duet."

_Oh, yes. That'll make me forget all about it_, Kurt's sarcastic voice thinks but he smiles as he allows Blaine to pull him to his feet and they head up to the stage together.

"Run through it like we discussed," Wes tells Blaine as he sits near David and Thad. "Leave out the section from _I simply must go_ to _Never such a blizzard_ before. It's awkward and doesn't really work with the words when there isn't a kiss involved."

"Well, they could always kiss," Kendrick calls out helpfully.

Kurt feels his face burning as whistles and catcalls erupt from the Warblers. Blaine's response is a little cooler, rubbing at his nose with his middle finger clearly extended in Kendrick's direction.

"Ooh! Obscene finger gestures from such a pristine boy!" Kendrick exclaims.

Blaine brushes at the front of his blazer. "I'm not that pristine."

Wes, looking annoyed, asks, "You really just couldn't let "The Breakfast Club" quotes go, could you?"

Blaine just holds his arms out as if to ask _What'd I do_?

"You guys," Wes' voice is beginning to rise. "Need I remind you that our performance is tomorrow night? If I have to keep you in here all day today _and_ tomorrow to practice, I will."

"Geez, Wes, cut us some slack," David says, only because he can. "It's Christmas. We're good. We'll get this. Have a little faith, and try to have some fun while you're at it."

Wes doesn't respond with anything but a glare in his friend's direction, at which David only rolls his eyes.

"You ready?" Blaine steps up to Kurt, obviously once more trying to take on the role of peacekeeper among the group.

They end up running through the song four times before they all feel comfortable with the arrangement they've prepared. Blaine and Kurt sing through it once alone, and then the Council presents some ideas on the backing arrangements, and by the time each section is given their part, all of the Warblers have arrived and they run through it together. It's a bit sloppy and kind of amusing at first, but by the fourth try, it's obviously coming together. The rest of the boys have joined Blaine and Kurt onstage, and the two have fun flirting with one another around their fellow Warblers.

_Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_, and _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ are easier to get through because the group had performed them the prior Christmas at Dalton, and it is obvious that Blaine could perform both in his sleep. Neither is very difficult for Kurt to jump in to, either. He loses his concentration a little, though, on _All I Want for Christmas is You_, because Blaine is back to flirting with him, spending more time with his focus and attention on Kurt than anyone else in the group, and Kurt becomes so wrapped up in what Blaine is doing that he ends up forgetting he's supposed to be performing as well. Mercifully, no one points out that Kurt was far more interested in Blaine's performance than the song, and all Wes says when he asks them to run through it again is that perhaps Blaine should try playing with the audience on this one.

Someone—it sounds like Holden—makes a comment with regards to setting off a mass orgy, and the entire debacle is forgotten as they run through the song with ease the second time through.

When they get to Kendrick, he leads them through a fun and slightly jazzy version of _Frosty the Snowman,_ and Kurt is kind of surprised that when out in front, Kendrick has a tendency to ham it up a lot like Blaine. He's all bouncy and funny, and Kurt glances over at Blaine, who is in place beside him, to see his friend naturally following Kendrick's lead like he hasn't spent most of his time out in front. It's not much of a surprise—Blaine has never once struck Kurt as a diva—but to see how easily Blaine slides into the role of backup is oddly inspiring.

Nick is equally impressive when he steps up front to sing _White Christmas._ His quiet baritone is perfect for the song, and Kurt can't help but think that Bing Crosby would be pleased with the interpretation as the group croons along with him quietly in the background. From there it's a simple transition to the group's rendition of _A Christmas Song_, and then it's an almost abrupt jump into the medley of _Holly Jolly Christmas/Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree/Jingle Bell Rock_. The Warblers have really gotten into the spirit of the songs by this point, with a little extra hop in their steps and joy in their voices. Kurt finds himself playing off Blaine and the others as much as they do him, and for the first time since he's joined the group, he feels as if he might finally fit in.

They're not New Directions. They'll never be New Directions. But there's synchronization here; an unassuming dynamic of quiet chaos, of voices raised in harmony as opposed to discord. For once in his life, Kurt doesn't feel the driving need to stand out, to be seen. It's not permanent, and he knows he can't accept this forever—being out there, being different, being the brilliant spark of a flame that no one expects is too much a part of him to ever give up completely—but for now, he's comfortable.

"Good practice," Wes says, smiling now that they actually made it through the set. "Be certain to be back here at two to run through it again. We'll only be getting it for an hour because they have to set up for tonight's shows. Oh, and Merry Christmas, guys!"

"Hey, Kurt." Blaine catches up to him just as he is about to leave the auditorium. "Any plans for the day other than practice?"

"I know Dad wants the family to have breakfast together," he says with a shrug.

"Some of us were going to hang out by the pool later," Blaine tells him. "Wanna join us?" 

"Do I look the type?" Kurt arches a brow at him.

His friend smiles. "I thought I'd put the invitation out there, just in case."

Brushing a stray strand of hair aside from his forehead, Kurt nods slightly. "I'll probably show. I bought the sun block—I might as well make use of it."

Blaine laughs and reaches out to touch his arm. "Cool. See you later, then."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When Kurt gets back to the stateroom, it's to find the small space filled with his dad, Carole and Finn.

"There he is!" Burt reaches out and pulls his son into a hug. "Merry Christmas, kiddo."

"Merry Christmas, Dad." He hugs him back before moving over to Carole who kisses the top of his head as she returns his hug and wishes him a Merry Christmas.

"We got presents!" Finn announces, holding up matching Christmas stocking. He hands one over to Kurt.

"You guys didn't have to do that. Being here is enough for me."

"That's what I told them." Finn stares at his with a look of chagrin before finally sitting on his bed to pour out the contents.

"It's Christmas," Burt replies, leaning against the wall as Carole leans in to him. "We bought your stuff before we knew this was happening, anyway. Most of its back home waiting for you."

There's an envelope with $100 in cash for each of them ("To spend on the islands," Carole tells them), and random packages of gum and candy (mints for Kurt because the last time he had received candy for Christmas and i_wanted/i_ it, he was like three). There's a Buckeye's baseball cap for Finn, which he promptly puts on ("You're not wearing that to breakfast, Finn," his mom informs him), and two season tickets to the Lima Locos minor league baseball team ("Okay, so that's kind of a gift to me, too" Burt says with a grin). Kurt's stocking contains two broaches—one shiny leopard pin covered in rhinestones for the coloring, and another that is the comedy/tragedy masks in white and black rhinestones ("I saw them and thought of you," Carole says at Kurt's exclamation)—as well as a gift certificate to the Celebrity spa for a facial. Kurt throws himself at his dad and Carole, hugging them both.

"Thank you so much!"

"Carole said you'd probably want one." Burt laughs as he returns his son's hug.

"I do! The salt air could damage it beyond repair—thank you!" Kurt beams as he looks down at the certificate in his hands and begins planning just when might be the best time to set the appointment for. Maybe halfway through the trip, to cover the damage already taken and prepare for the worst to come.

"Can we go eat now?" Finn asks. "Steve, the cruise director, was saying on the morning report that the Christmas buffet is really awesome."

"You watched the morning report?" Kurt asks with amusement.

Finn shrugs. "He was really… hyper. It was kind of funny."

Kurt completely agrees with Finn's astute assessment of their cruise director. They discuss their plans for the day as they make their way to the aft of deck five where the formal dining hall is located. Like the Warblers, Carole thinks sitting by the pool all afternoon is a perfectly viable option. Burt grunts a response, wondering how enjoyable it can be without a beer—to which Kurt points out he is more than welcome to have fake beer. His dad good-naturedly cuffs him upside the head, which of course requires Kurt to stop by the first mirror he finds and smooth his hair back into place.

When they reach the Metropolitan dining hall, it's to be greeted by crew members in tuxedos, wishing them a Merry Christmas and explaining that it is currently open seating, and the full holiday buffet is spread out below them on deck four of the hall.

"I feel underdressed," Finn mutters in his polo and jeans, and Kurt can't help but agree.

"You are underdressed." Even though he would prefer to be in his own clothes, the Dalton uniform is perfectly appropriate for any of the meals on the ship.

Also, it makes it easier to spot his fellow Warblers, such as the group sitting near the table that his family is led to by the maître'd. Mr. Price is sitting with Holden, Brett, Galen, Jeremiah and Byron. They all call out greetings and "Merry Christmas" as the Hudson-Hummel's move past them to sit at the next table that seats ten but is currently empty. Holden says something about getting his fourth helping, and Jeremiah jumps up to join him.

"Whoa," Finn says as they take their seats. "Am I really gonna need this many forks?"

"Just start on the outside and work your way in, Finn," Kurt explains, smiling at the appropriately set table.

The server asks if they would like anything specific to drink, and then invites them to head down to the buffet. Burt claps his hands together and gets up. "Don't need to tell me, twice. C'mon, sweetheart. Let's go see what food I get to be told not to eat this morning!"

Carole shakes her head, sharing an exasperated look with Kurt as she takes her husband's arm. Finn and Kurt follow behind. The boys only make it to the top of the staircase that leads down to the first floor of the dining hall, both staring in wonder before pulling their cell phones out and snapping pictures of the dozens of tables arranged with all manner of foods. From his vantage point, Kurt spies a table of traditional breakfast foods, another of just fruit, one of seafood including shrimp cocktail and three kinds of smoked salmon. There's sushi and a table of nothing but salads, two tables of carving meats like turkey, ham and roast beef, a circular table filled with breads and rolls and croissants, and stretching along the back almost the entire length of the room, a full gingerbread village surrounded by every dessert imaginable including white and dark chocolate fountains—hygienically disgusting but atmospherically pleasing.

"Ya know," Finn says beside him. "One of the bartenders was telling us last night that you basically sign up for a six-month contract to work on a cruise ship."

"The bartenders don't get to eat here, Finn."

"Damn."

For once in his life, Kurt feels a little guilty passing most of the food up. He does allow himself to splurge just a little—sushi, some of the smoked Alaskan salmon, three of the shrimp (minus the cocktail sauce) and salad. When Finn passes by him holding two plates filled beyond capacity, Kurt just laughs and follows him back up to their table.

Conversation during their meal centers on what they think of the cruise so far, and how they could be home right now, shoveling the driveway and spending too much time in the kitchen cooking and then cleaning up the mess they've made. While Carole admits she loves a good, old-fashioned Christmas, and can't wait to spend one with her new family next year, she admits with a laugh that currently she's pretty happy with how her Christmas morning is going.

"Mind if we join you?"

Kurt looks up at the familiar voice to find Blaine, with Thad, David, Wes and Kendrick in tow behind him, all carrying plates loaded with far more food than Kurt could imagine eating in one setting.

"Not at all," Burt responds, waving a hand at the table. "Pull up a chair, guys."

They spread around the table, Blaine sliding into the seat beside Kurt, and Kurt tries to pretend that it really doesn't mean all that much, having Christmas morning breakfast beside the boy of his dreams.

"Hey," Blaine says quietly, drawing Kurt's attention to him. He's holding out an envelope between them. "Merry Christmas."

Kurt bites his lip as he slowly takes the envelope from his friend. "I, umm, I didn't think—"

"It's just a card," Blaine says with a shrug and a smile before turning to his meal.

Just. Kurt glances around the table, noting that everyone seems to be involved with their food or a conversation before he drops his gaze down to the envelope he's holding over his lap. Not wanting to draw any attention to himself, he opens the flap as quietly as possible under the table. The card is white with a simple embossed Christmas tree on the cover, adorned in silver and blue glitter. Script writing across the top reads _Holiday Wishes to Someone Special_.

_It doesn't mean anything_, Kurt chants in his head. _It doesn't mean anything_.

Opening it, his eyes scan the greeting:

"The day ends with a night full of stars  
that never appeared so prettier than before.  
Each twinkling star is passed along to you with a special wish;  
That all of the days you live could be like Christmas."

But it's the handwriting below that most draws his attention: Blaine's trademark neat and precise script that Kurt would expect to find in a textbook on cursive writing.

_Kurt,_

_Even though I would give everything to change the circumstances that allowed our introduction, I would never give up having you in my life._

_Thank you for being my friend._

_Happy holidays!_

_Love always,_

_Blaine_

What does that even _mean_? Kurt closes his eyes and takes a breath and tries really, really hard not to turn to the boy beside him and start beating him over the head. How can one person write so many contradictory statements in one greeting card? _Never give up having you in my life. Thank you for being my friend. Love always_.

Does being in love with a boy really have to suck this much?

Feeling Blaine's gaze on him, Kurt opens his eyes, slip the card back into the envelope and turns to his friend with a neutral smile. "Thank you. And, Merry Christmas, Blaine."

It's clearly obvious that Blaine can tell something isn't quite right, but he's too polite to say anything. He smiles and nods, and turns back to his meal, and Kurt sits and stares at the side of his head, imagining drilling a hole into it so that maybe, _possibly_ he could see how that mind of his actually works. Sighing under his breath, Kurt shoves the card into his pocket, knowing that he'll take it out in the day, and that night, and stare at it until the words bleed together and he can formulate some kind of answer to the mystery that is the cryptic wording.

Suddenly, the food in front of him isn't all that appetizing. In fact, he's pretty certain one of his shrimp just laughed at him.

"Hey, Finn." Holden leans between Kurt and Blaine's shoulders. "I was gonna head up and shoot some hoops on deck twelve. They've got a pretty boss court up there. Wanna join me?"

Finn looks ready to say yes when he seems to realize its Christmas. He glances at his mom with a "Pretty please?" look that's almost pathetic. Carole laughs and tells him to enjoy himself but they're all having dinner together, and it's formal so he better be ready on time.

"Awesome." Finn springs up from his seat. "Catch ya guys later."

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Blaine remarks as they watch Finn and Holden leave the dining hall. Brett chases after them a few moments later.

Kurt jumps slightly when a hand lands on his shoulder and he glances up to see Nick—the rest of the guys are hovering off to the side, jackets off, looking like they're ready to get out of there. "You joining us at the pool, Kurt?"

"Yeah."

"Cool, see ya there. We're gonna change and head up, Blaine."

"Be right there."

Blaine folds his napkin neatly before laying it beside his mostly cleaned plate. He leans forward a bit and says, "Thank you for inviting us to sit with you, Mr. Hummel. Merry Christmas." He smiles over at Carole. "Merry Christmas, Mrs—er, Carole."

"Merry Christmas, Blaine," she replies with a fond smile, before flashing a quick wink in Kurt's direction.

"See you at the pool?" Blaine asks Kurt as he stands.

"Yeah."

As Blaine leaves, followed shortly by the others, Kurt glances up to find his dad watching him. "I ain't gonna lie, Kurt. Your friend creeps me out a little bit."

"Burt!" Carole says with laugh. "That's not nice!"

"He's just polite, Dad."

"Yeah. I get that. It's creepy."

Kurt can tell he's being teased by the barely-contained smirk on his dad's face. He flashes his own smirk in return. The fact that his dad can make fun of Blaine means he doesn't hate him. It's definitely a start.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Just because he agreed to join the other Warblers at the pool did not, in fact, mean that Kurt had any intention of exposing his sensitive skin to the sun. Quite the opposite, actually. And while his face, neck and hands were liberally covered in 100 spf sun block, there wasn't much else of him exposed to worry over. In concession of the bright and beautiful day, he wore his white skinny jeans and a light blue and white-striped button down. If there were those who might consider the fitted black riding boots excessive, he would simply explain that he didn't feel like ruining the silhouette. Pool deck or no, upon which there were sights to be held that would not be soon forgotten, Kurt did not plan on being one of them. Or, at least, he planned on being the best dressed among them.

There was also the Celebrity cruise lines umbrella, tucked neatly away in the closet, which Kurt snatched and now has over him, handle slipped between the slats of the lounge chair, the shade effectively adding extra protection to his exposed skin. The sun is shining, the air is filled with the scent of suntan lotion and very loud music, and Kurt honestly couldn't be happier.

He's even okay with the company.

When he had shown up on deck eleven where the Warblers had planned to meet, the only one he found was Wes. He was sitting in the midst of almost a dozen lounge chairs all hauled up alongside each other near the starboard side railing, towels strewn about, and the occasional empty glass, a plate of half-eaten French fries. Wes had explained that the others were around, but they'd all ran off to the pool and instructed him to save their seats.

Wes was grateful for Kurt's appearance. Apparently, saving a dozen lounge chairs among two thousands passengers isn't easy.

Kurt is surprised when Wes says nothing about his chosen poolside ensemble. His surprise continues as Wes seems to avoid discussing the Warblers, as well. Instead, the council member asks him about his time at Dalton so far, how his classes are going and if he's made many friends. He asks a few questions about McKinley, spends a little bit of time talking about how he's been in private schools all of his life, talks about his girlfriend and his family. It's the most that Wes and Kurt have ever talked, and Kurt is pleased to find he really likes the older boy—he's beginning to understand why Wes is as popular as he is.

"Looks like our peace and quiet is about to come to an abrupt end." Wes nods his head toward the stairs from the deck below where the pools are located.

Kendrick is the first to bound up, pushing wet bangs from his eyes and laughing at something Jared says as he follows. Nick and Jeff are there, followed closely by Flint and Thad. And then—

Oh.

He hadn't even considered—oh, _hell_.

Kurt is fairly certain there are two other Warblers with Blaine, but if someone were to ask him, right at that moment who they are, he couldn't actually name them. Or put faces to them. Or anything. Because there's _Blaine_, soaking wet, his dark blue swim trunks hugging his thigh as he walks, a mop of wet curls on his head, and he's laughing, and there's all of this _skin_. Blaine isn't chiseled and muscular with six-pack abs like Sam, but he's trim and defined, and his upper arms are _really_ nice and he has great legs and the line of dark hair leading down from his belly button…

_What am I doing here_? Kurt panics. _I can't do this! I can't just sit here and_ –

"Hey." Blaine smiles and leans over, shaking just a little bit and droplets of water land everywhere on Kurt.

It's enough to shake him out of his mental freak out. "Stop that! If I wanted an overgrown puppy, I'd ask for one!" Kurt shouts indignantly, brushing at the drops that hit his face.

Laughing, Blaine sits down in the lounge beside him, grabbing his towel to dry off. Kurt tries not to pay too much attention as the material sweeps over golden skin—_and oh my God, did I just apply the word "golden" to his skin_? Kurt feels like weeping. Meanwhile, Blaine appears to continue to be completely oblivious to the fact that Kurt is currently losing the last shreds of sanity he possesses.

Death by the most beautiful boy in all of male-dom. Well, Kurt can think of worst ways to go.

"One thing is definitely for certain," Blaine says as he leans back in his chair, tucking an arm behind his head. "You're never going to get skin cancer."

There's really only one response to that. Kurt sticks his tongue out at Blaine. "I'm also not going to get all wrinkly—a fate you are destined to suffer if you don't put some sunscreen on."

"And fat. Don't forget that one."

"Yes. Fat _and_ wrinkly." Kurt is unable to suppress his laughter. "You're going to be a real catch, one day, Blaine Anderson."

"Thankfully I have you to keep me in line." Blaine leans on his elbow toward Kurt. "You have any of that sunscreen on you?"

"Of course." Kurt turns to grab his satchel from beside his chair, setting it in his lap and rummaging through it until he finds the bottle he is looking for. He passes it over to Blaine as his friend sits up.

"So tonight we're supposed to sing in the main foyer and, I believe, the Rendez-vous Lounge. I told Wes I think _Baby Its Cold Outside_ is best left for the performance in the auditorium, and we should just stick to the more traditional songs tonight." Blaine begins lathering the lotion over his arms and shoulders.

Kurt nods, mostly catching what he said, his eyes following the movement of Blaine's hands.

"I thought rehearsal went really well this morning. Hopefully the guys can stay focused through next week." He pours some more sunscreen into his hands and begins sweeping it over his chest and stomach.

Kurt snaps his head around quickly, suddenly finding the view of the passengers spread out before him very interesting. There's the old guy across the deck from them with the hairiest chest and shoulders Kurt has ever seen in his entire life. Yes, focus. That's definitely what is most important right now.

"Hello?"

Blinking, Kurt turns back to find Blaine tapping the bottle of sunscreen on his thigh and smiling at him. "Here. Thanks."

Kurt takes the bottle, and says the stupidest sentence he's ever uttered in his entire short life, "Did you put any on your back?"

Blaine shrugs and shakes his head. "Nah. It's okay."

Okay, second stupidest. "I could put some on for you… I mean, if you want and its okay?"

Kurt doesn't realize he's holding his breath until Blaine says, "Yeah. Thanks," and shifts on his lounge to turn his back to Kurt.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt scoots to the edge of his own lounge, opens the bottle of sunscreen and pours a quarter-sized amount into his palm. He stares at the broad expanse of back before him. There's a small mole on Blaine's right shoulder blade, and a fading scar a few inches below the left—it's about two inches long and slightly jagged. Kurt wants to ask about it but knows this probably isn't the appropriate setting. He files the information away for later and rubs the sunscreen between his hands before laying his palms against Blaine's skin.

The skin beneath his fingers is warm, and very smooth, and Kurt has to force himself to concentrate on the task at hand—slide his hands over Blaine's shoulders, across his shoulder blades, down the long line of his back, and maybe it's just his imagination that Blaine seems to shudder just slightly there at one point. Kurt isn't certain; his own breathing has become difficult, and he's sure that at any moment his hands are going to begin shaking, and he really has to finish this before that happens.

"Lean your head forward a little," he instructs quietly." I want to get your neck but I don't want to get it in your hair."

Blaine drops his head and Kurt moves his hands over his neck, dark curls tickling his fingers. He moves outward then, back over Blaine's shoulders, making certain that all of the sunscreen is rubbed in completely.

"Now that's all kind of precious." Jared is standing in front of their lounge chairs, snapping a picture on his cell phone.

"What's going to be really precious is you jumping overboard when I toss your phone over the railing," Blaine says with a smile.

"Chill, dude. I'll send you a copy," he says before wandering off.

Kurt sits back with a sigh, wiping the excess sunscreen off on a towel. "Sorry," he mumbles.

Blaine turns back to face him, frowning slightly. "What are you sorry for?"

"That," he waves his hand toward Blaine's back, "probably wasn't entirely appropriate."

"Don't do that, Kurt," Blaine says quietly, catching Kurt's hand in his own. He holds his gaze for a moment before offering a gentle smile, and locks their fingers together. "All you did was help me out with some sun block. It's perfectly normal. Just like Jared sometimes being a jackass."

And Kurt finds himself falling in love all over again as Blaine continues to just sit there, holding his hand, smiling at him, and making everything better. It's still so difficult to get used to, to accept—that he can reach out and touch Blaine when he wants to or sing with him or put sunscreen on him, and its okay. It's all right. Blaine isn't going to tell him he's freaking him out or he needs to back off. The Warblers aren't going to make gay jokes or ugly gestures.

Blaine squeezes his hand. "It's okay," he whispers, and Kurt believes him.


	6. Chapter 6

_Wow. I admit to being shocked to see this fic had close to 2,000 hits yesterday! Remember: leaving a review is a nice thing—even if you just want to tell me you hate it! This chapter is kind of all over the place, and I really didn't mean to end it on an angsty note, it's just where the characters took me! And just a little more patience, please—I promise there will be some revelations in the next chapter. Can't promise full resolution yet, but they are getting there! _

_Thanks again for reading!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt felt like he had just changed out of his uniform when he's putting it back on again. Luckily, dry cleaning has been paid for by Mr. Ramsey because the five pairs of slacks and shirts Kurt brought with him are not going to last, not to mention his two poor blazers. If he sets them out for the stateroom attendant tonight, he hopes they will be back by the following morning.

But for now, he's back in his uniform and on stage in the auditorium dancing the simple steps and singing through their Christmas set list. There's more energy in the group than there was that morning, and the songs are cheery and spirited.

By the time he and Blaine sing _Baby Its Cold Outside_, they've fallen into a rhythm , an easy camaraderie of playfulness—who can smile the biggest, dance the most upbeat, and between him and Blaine, flirt the most outrageously. The others even get into their little chase, occasionally stepping in front of Blaine as he moves to catch Kurt, effectively blocking him and allowing Kurt's escape. At the end of the song, Wes rolls his eyes and warns that they might want to drop it back just a notch for the performance, just in case some old lady drops from a heart attack in the aisle.

Kurt feels his face flush because, apparently, everyone can sense something going on between them—expect Blaine. Stupid, beautiful Blaine who just laughs and behaves like this sort of thing happens every day. Kurt has the unbelievable urge to _kick_ him because, _no_, Kurt doesn't make it a practice to flirt with the boy of his dreams .

In song.

In front of everyone.

_So why does Blaine have to be so calm, cool and collected about it_?

"You okay, Kurt?"

Kurt looks over to find David standing beside him, gazing as if he can somehow see right through him. And Kurt wants to say _No, I'm not okay—I feel like I'm going to explode, and I don't even know why_! But he smiles and nods. "Yeah, I'm good."

David gives him a disbelieving look and Kurt is surprised by how well the Warblers seem to be at reading him . But David doesn't say anything because, like Blaine, he's polite like that. He just squeezes Kurt's shoulder and gets back in line for the next song.

Mr. Price shows up halfway through _Frosty the Snowman_, and takes a seat in the center of the auditorium, notebook in hand, scribbling into it occasionally as the group continues through their set list. He applauds when they are finished, tells them they are going to be a huge hit with the passengers tomorrow night, and informs them that Mr. Ramsey will apparently be meeting up with the ship in St. Maarten tomorrow so that he can catch their performance. So they better be at their best.

"No pressure or anything."

"Kendrick…" Wes warns, glancing at the boy behind him before stepping forward and turning to face the group that is already beginning to disperse. "Since we all have late seating for dinner, we'll be expected to perform tonight in the main foyer from six to six-thirty, and then in the Rendez-vous lounge from seven to seven-thirty. Let's plan on meeting up at the top of the staircase at five forty-five—I have an idea for how we can use the stairs to our advantage."

As the group disperses, many of the boys apparently headed straight back to the pool, Kurt realizes Blaine is waiting for him at the top of the aisle. He smiles as he reaches him and they fall in step together back toward the staterooms.

"Anything planned for the afternoon?" Blaine's hand briefly brushes against his.

"I thought I'd see what the family's doing—I know my dad wanted to try to spend some more time together today."

Blaine nods, shoving his hands into his pants pockets, something like a smile hovering for just a moment. "Well, I'll see you in the foyer, then? Apparently there's some trivia challenge thing in the Cova Café and Flint and Kendrick are begging me to help them out."

Kurt laughs because trivia, _really_? "Have fun with that."

Blaine rolls his eyes in response before veering off in the opposite direction. Kurt pauses for a moment to watch him go, wishing they could go back to the pool deck. After getting past his initial discomfort with Jared's comments, he and Blaine had spent the next hour simply enjoying each other's company. Blaine had teased him once about being overly dressed for the occasion, and then in the same breath had complimented the outfit. They'd shared a plate of fries that Blaine insisted Kurt help him with, promising they wouldn't go to his hips, and then they'd listened to Kurt's iPod, the earphones stretching between them as they relaxed in the lounge chairs.

It had been pretty close to perfect. Except… _except_ Kurt couldn't get that stupid Christmas card out of his head!

And he still can't.

When he gets back to his room, he throws himself down on his bed, yanking one of the pillows free from the bed sheets and tucking it under his head as he removes the card from where it has remained tucked in his jacket pocket. He stares at the way his name is written across the back of the envelope–_Kurt_–with a flourish across the t and a squiggly line under his name. And he's a little annoyed at himself for liking Blaine's handwriting so much because, really, it's just one more thing to put under the header of "Reasons Why Blaine is Perfect but Also Frustrating". Reason number two thousand one hundred and sixty: perfect penmanship.

The jerk.

Kurt giggles and presses the envelope to his face. _Great_. Now he's losing his mind.

"Hey, we were just looking for you." Finn shuts the door loudly behind him.

Kurt looks over his shoulder to find Finn is alone, one of the bright yellow pool towels slung over his shoulder, and his face looking a little too red from the sun. "I'm moping." Kurt lays his head on the pillow. "Also, there was rehearsal."

"What can there be to mope about? You're on a cruise in the middle of the Caribbean."

Kurt smiles at how simple Finn can make things seem. "Have you ever had trouble with like, figuring out the girls you liked? Like Quinn or Rachel?"

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, Finn regards him with a confused expression. "Like what?"

"I don't know." Kurt shrugs. "Like, why they do the things they do or say the things they say? Or why you like them so much when all they ever do is make you want to do is slam your head into a wall repeatedly?"

Finn's eyes are wide now. "Dude, are you like reading my mind or something? Because that's kind of freaky. I've had those _exact_ thoughts." He pauses at Kurt's snort. "Wait. Why are we having a conversation about chicks?"

"We're not." Kurt rolls his eyes as he rolls over onto his back. "I'm talking about Blaine."

"Yeah, you lost me somewhere in there..."

Kurt has come to love Finn in an entirely different way from last year, but he isn't at all surprised by his stepbrother's confusion. "It's like this, Finn—I'm having boy trouble and I am trying to talk to you about it."

"Oh." He can hear Finn shift uncomfortably on his bed. "Well, I don't know how much help I can be there. Umm, besides, I kind of just thought that, well… you'd have it easier. You know, since guys are just… guys. We're not complicated like girls."

"I guarantee you, Finn, we are. Just as complicated. Gender has nothing to do with mixed signals when it comes to liking someone." Kurt sighs as he takes the envelope and holds his arm out behind his head toward Finn. "Blaine gave me a Christmas card. Here. Read it."

"Umm, are you sure? I mean, isn't that private and stuff?"

Kurt flips back over on to his stomach and waves the envelope at him. "Trust me, if there was anything worthy of privacy in here, we wouldn't be having this discussion."

Still looking uncertain, Finn takes the offered envelope and slides the card out. He flips it open a little awkwardly, like he's expecting spiders or something, and then his eyes scan over it. An odd expression appears on his face and he looks up at Kurt.

"What's he even trying to _say_?"

"I'm convinced the world is conspiring against me when even Finn makes more sense right now than Blaine," Kurt comments dramatically before burying his face in his pillow.

Finn is silent for a few minutes. "Well, I suppose it's cool that he says 'Love always', right?"

Kurt lifts his head. "Yeah. Right after 'Thanks for being my friend'." He pushes himself up on his elbows as Finn lays the card on the bedspread. "Have you ever written anything like that to someone?"

"Well…" Finn seems to consider the question. "I mean, I don't think so. But I guess it's kind of like on Valentine's Day when girls send those little messages saying how you're such a good friend but it's a _Valentine_, so that's kind of stupid because on the one hand, _friend's only_, and on the other hand they come with words like 'Be Mine' and 'Kisses', but you know that's not what they actually mean."

"Wow, Finn. I think I'm even more depressed."

"Sorry. Told you I probably wasn't the guy to talk to about this." Finn scratches his shoulder for a silent moment, and then brightens. "Hey! Is there someone in the Warblers you could ask? Like someone who knows Blaine better and maybe knows if he likes you or not?"

Kurt's indignant at the mere thought. "A, I'm not going to play the whole 'does he like me?' game because that almost always leads to things getting back to people you may not want knowing. And B, I honestly believe—and I'm not just saying this out of some misguided hope that I'm special or anything—but I really believe Blaine's closer to me than anyone else at Dalton. Maybe I'm wrong, but he's a private person in a lot of ways."

"Oh. Well, that's not very helpful, I guess."

"No, it really isn't."

They're both silent as they stare at the offending card lying between them.

"Look at it this way," Finn says with a smile as if he's figured out the answers to everything. "He could have _not_ gotten you a card!"

Kurt buries his face in his pillow and _screams_.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"_Through the years we all will be together_

_If the fates allow_

_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough._

_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now_…"

Applause is scattered between the floors below and above them. Passengers are gathered in the lobby and two decks around the open atrium. The Warblers are arranged along the staircase, tucked between the pots of poinsettias and dangling lighted snowflakes. Blaine is down at the base of the steps, smiling his thanks before he turns and bounds back up the staircase to the fifth step where Kurt is standing. They smile at each other as Kendrick takes his place on the floor, making a brief introduction about adding a little jazz to an old favorite before they slip into _Frosty the Snowman._

Kurt loves every moment of this. The setting, the audience composed of passengers who are making their way to dinner or a show or the casino but instead stop and listen, the seasonal music and the fact that he and Blaine are sharing a step together, moving in rhythm, smiling at one another. For now, he can forget about the card and the confusion, and just enjoy the fact that he and Blaine both share in this love.

_Down to the village  
With a broomstick in his hand  
Running here and there all around the square  
Saying catch me if you can_

_He led them down the streets of town  
Right to the traffic cop  
And he only paused a moment when  
He heard him holler stop_

Frosty the Snowman  
Had to hurry on his way  
But he waved goodbye  
Saying don't you cry  
I'll be back again someday

Thumpety thump thump  
Thumpety thump thump

Blaine catches Kurt's eye and is motioning upward toward the balcony above them. Kurt follows the direction he indicted to see two elderly gentlemen, dressed in matching tuxedos, leaning over the railing watching the group, and holding hands. He looks back at Blaine but his friend is lost again in his performance. Chancing a glance back above, the two men are gone, and Kurt can't help but wonder if he imagined the whole thing.

The Warblers make their way through _White Christmas_, and Blaine takes the front once more for _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_. As the applause dispenses at the end of their last number, Blaine thanks everyone for sharing a few moments of their Christmas with them, and invites them to join the Warblers again in a half an hour in the Rendez-vous Lounge. And Kurt can't help but smile because, really, Blaine is the perfect front man—incredibly charming, undeniably gorgeous, and flawless in his mannerisms.

Looking around, Kurt can see all of the indications that Blaine has won the audience over with his smooth voice and warm smile. Adults walk up and shake his hand; teenage girls hover off to the side, sliding flirtatious glances in his direction and giggling when he looks over at them.

It's just a little too much to take. Kurt starts to make his way down the steps, if for no other reason than to glare at the really pretty brunette who is currently offering a shy greeting to Blaine—_shy my ass_, Kurt thinks, _she is totally faking that look_!—when he hears Nick say behind him:

"Are you really _that_ insecure?"

Kurt turns and decides to focus his glare on the boy standing a few steps above him. "What?"

"I asked if you're really that insecure." Nick moves down the steps to stand right above Kurt. "I'm not stupid, Kurt. You were just about to flounce down the stairs to save Blaine from a _girl_. It's actually kind of pathetic."

Kurt blinks. "I'm sorry, but did I do something to totally piss you off at some point?"

"No. Not yet, anyway."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

And Kurt gets this awful, horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach because what if he's truly been reading the signals all wrong? What if Blaine _does_ like someone, but it isn't him? He thinks that might be worse—worse than loving someone who is straight and could never love him in return. Worse than just being friends. Worse than anything, really.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Kurt looks away from Nick long enough to glance at Blaine who has appeared beside him, his expression slightly questioning.

"No," Nick says with a shrug. "Kurt and I were just chatting. See you guys in thirty."

Kurt stares as Nick wanders off until he feels Blaine's hand at his elbow. He turns to find Blaine gazing at him, eyes dark with concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes…No." Kurt bites his lip and finds he can't meet Blaine's eyes. "Is Nick… I mean, are you two…" He can't even bring himself to ask.

But this is Blaine, and Blaine seems to know everything, except how Kurt really feels about him, so he takes Kurt's hand in his and begins tugging him up the staircase. "Come on. Let's get some coffee."

It's difficult not to worry that this is about to be one of those 'I'm gonna let you down easy' talks. He finds himself actually clinging to Blaine's hand, afraid to let go at this point, afraid to be told that Nick—who admittedly is really cute and has a great voice—has the only thing in the world that Kurt really wants. His eyes are stinging and he feels nauseous, and Blaine just keeps holding his hand as he leads him through the casino and out the other end into the Cova Café. He lets Blaine order their drinks, and he's grateful that his friend hasn't let go of his hand yet, and they just stand there together as they wait, and still Blaine doesn't say anything.

When their drink order is up, they each grab their cups and Blaine leads him over to a little table along the wall with two facing chairs. Kurt hates that their hands release as they sit down.

"You want to tell me what's going on, Kurt?" Blaine asks softly, leaning his arms on the table and fixing Kurt with a steady gaze.

_I'm in love with you and you seem completely oblivious. And are you in love with Nick instead_? But of course, Kurt can't say that. So instead, he says, "Nick has said some weird stuff to me today, and it just had me wondering…"

"Wondering what?"

Kurt chews on his lip for a long moment, unable to meet Blaine's dark gaze. He finally rushes out, "_Ithinkhelikesyou_," because it's easier to say than asking if Blaine likes Nick.

"You're right, he does. Or did, rather."

And Kurt doesn't know what to say to that because he'd been hoping for a negation, not confirmation. He drops his gaze, and honestly, he's going to be sick, when he feels Blaine's hand on his.

"When Nick arrived at Dalton last year, I kind of made it my duty to show him around and get him adjusted to the place. I was still kind of the new kid myself, having just transferred in spring the year before, so I thought it made sense. I introduced him to the Warblers, helped him make friends… " Blaine trails off and shrugs. "Nick began developing feelings for me that he didn't understand—or rather, that he was reading too much into. I guess you could say I was his straight gay crush or something. I don't know. It was messy but we got past it."

"I don't think he's gotten past it," Kurt mutters. He hates the insane jealously that's racing through him at the moment.

"He can be a little bit protective of me, I'll give you that." Blaine frowns suddenly. "He didn't say anything hurtful to you, did he?"

"No," Kurt answers honestly. "I just… well, I thought there was something you weren't telling me."

A flicker of hurt flashes briefly through Blaine's eyes. "Kurt, I'll always be honest with you. I hope you know that."

Something about his words, which should be reassuring, are more like a knife to the gut. If Kurt's being completely honest with himself, then any hope that Blaine might be harboring some sort of affection for him has, in Kurt's mind, just been completely and unutterably refuted.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Dinner on a cruise ship is a strange mixture of having a meal at home while simultaneously dining at an expensive restaurant. The two attendants assigned to them—Francisco, their main server, and his assistant, Won—only service two tables, which contain the Warblers and their chaperones. They get to know one another quickly, so that there's good-natured banter between the servers and the Warblers, and the servers already seem to know which boys go through their beverages the fastest, which should be offered an extra plate of food, and which would rather just be left alone to their meal. Finn is immediately flustered by the fact that he can't seem to take a sip of water without it being refilled almost instantly. Kurt watches in amusement as his stepbrother seems afraid of his glass.

The group is spread out between two tables. Kurt and his family are at one table along with Blaine, Kendrick, Flint, Nick, Jeff, Holden, and Brett. Mr. Price is attempting to keep the rest of the Warblers in line at his table beside them. Kurt is unendingly amused by the fact that Jared is forced to sit next to the faculty advisor. Kurt is mostly pleased with everyone sitting at their table. He could do without Nick being there because he's still angry over what the boy had said to him, and he hates the idea that Nick once had so much of Blaine's attention.

After their talk over coffee, Kurt had tried to let the topic drop, giving Blaine a smile and assuring him that everything was fine, if only to get through the performance in the Rendez-vous Lounge without looking like he was in pain the whole time. And luckily, everything had gone well. Nick hadn't approached him with any more cryptic accusations, and Blaine had sung beside him just like before, catching his eye and smiling big and bright to the point that sometimes Kurt would miss a step. One would think he would be used to it by now.

One would be very wrong.

His dad, Carole and Finn had shown up for the performance, and Carole had immediately approached the Warblers when their set list ended, telling them all how wonderful they were, and hugging Kurt. "Your Blaine has a beautiful voice," she'd whispered in his ear. Kurt had blushed at her calling him 'Your Blaine'. There is a part of Kurt that just wants to climb into Carole's lap sometimes, like he did with his mother, and let her make everything better. Maybe he could tell her about Blaine, and maybe she'd have some of the answers he needs.

"No, really. That kid was _dead set_ on feeding those poor doves glitter!"

Kurt's eyes widen as his dad's words pull him from his reverie. "Dad!" His rebuke us too late of course because Blaine and the others are already falling back in their chairs laughing. "It would have worked," he mutters.

"Seriously, you never told me about the glitter." Blaine leans into him, his face still clouded with amusement.

"Because you would have tried to talk me out of it."

"Only for the sake of the poor birds," Blaine responds with a smile as he briefly touches Kurt's wrist. "Otherwise, it probably would have been pretty fabulous."

Kurt allows a quick smile at the wink his friend gives him.

"So," Burt begins, drawing everyone's attention as he talks over the current conversations happening between the boys. "What's this performance of yours gonna be like tomorrow night?" He's actually eyeing Blaine while he asks. "Like what we saw in that lounge tonight?"

"It will include some of the songs we did tonight, sir," Blaine responds, focusing his full attention on Kurt's dad as he speaks. "But we have many others planned as well, and there's a little more of a production to the performance. We didn't have much space in the foyer or lounge tonight."

"Kurt and Blaine will sing an awesome duet," Jeff supplies.

"Is that so?" Burt's still eyeing Blaine, and Kurt has this sudden need to slide under the table.

Blaine can't be as oblivious as he appears to be, right? Because he flashes a big smile in Burt's direction, and there's an animated excitement to his voice. "Yes, sir. We added _Baby Its Cold Outside_ as a last minute arrangement. It's a great number."

"I see." Burt's looking at Kurt now with one of those _Don't think I didn't notice you didn't say a word about this, kiddo_ looks and Kurt just tries to throw as much excitement into his responding smile as Blaine had in his voice.

"Isn't that that date rape song?" Finn asks, completely serious. Beside him Holden has to bury his face in his napkin to hide his laughter.

_1, 2, 3, 4…_ Kurt silently counts to himself in an attempt not to leap across the table and beat his stepbrother upside the head. Next to him, Blaine makes some suffocated noise as if attempting to hide his laughter as well, and really, Kurt doesn't see how any of this is funny—one need only take a look at his dad to see how completely unfunny it is.

"That, ummm, unfortunate moniker is really just the result of teenagers not getting the idea behind adults being flirtatious and having a little fun with one another," Blaine explains. Kurt struggles not to roll his eyes because, _really, Blaine_? "Besides, when Frank Loesser wrote the song, roofies hadn't even been invented yet-"

His well-meant, and yet completely inappropriate explanation of the song, is cut off with a yelp as Kurt kicks his friend hard under the table. Holden actually turns in his seat, presenting his back to the table, his shoulders quaking. In fact, all of the Warblers are silently shaking with mirth, their gazes darting everywhere but at Blaine, although they occasionally slide in Burt's direction as if waiting for the explosion. Kurt honestly doesn't know which of them he wants to kill first—Finn or Blaine. Maybe he should just line them up...

"I'm sure it's wonderful," Carole says in the ensuing and extremely uncomfortable silence. She gives both Kurt and Blaine an encouraging smile. Her hand is resting on Burt's arm as if keeping him in his seat. "You have a very lovely voice, Blaine."

"Thank you, Carole." Blaine leans under the table slightly to rub at his shin, and honestly, Kurt _should_ feel guilty but he doesn't. Not at all. In fact, it felt good to kick him.

The moment dinner is over and Kurt and Blaine excuse themselves to take a walk around the pool deck and Blaine brings it up. "I can't believe you kicked me."

"I can't believe you were talking about roofies to my dad!"

"What? Finn made a stupid remark and I was just correcting him."

"Finn _always_ makes stupid remarks—that's what makes Finn _Finn_." Kurt waves his hands around in explanation of the chaos that is his stepbrother. "You're supposed to ignore him and move on. Now my dad thinks the first gay guy I know is going to slip roofies in my drink!"

"Kurt, I think you're over-reacting." Blaine is laughing and Kurt is _this_ close to kicking him again. "And you're not giving your dad enough credit. In fact, I think your dad likes me."

Kurt snorts at that. "Yeah. The same way a hunter likes a deer just before he shoots it between the eyes."

Blaine laughs, slinging an arm around Kurt's shoulders and tugging him in for a brief half-hug before releasing him. "Well, at least Carole likes me."

"Yeah. She single-handedly prevented murder tonight. I think you owe her flowers."

"Noted. I'll have some delivered tomorrow."

The boys exchange smiles. Reaching the forward area of deck eleven, Blaine steps up to open the door that leads into the spa section and Kurt nods his thanks as he steps inside. The deck outside the Celebrity Spa is completely enclosed, lined with windows facing the water, but built from floor to ceiling in dark wood. Even the lounge chairs are wood, slatted and angled for the contours of the body, with matching tables. As much as he hates to admit it, the feel of the place reminds Kurt of "Titanic", and there's no way he's going to say that out loud because Blaine might start singing about Josephine in her flying machine again. Or make some rather inappropriate remark about hearts and oceans that would just send Kurt into a spiral of angst again. The evening has been nice; dinner was mostly fun, except for the highly uncomfortable end, but right now, he wouldn't trade the world for the time he is spending alone with Blaine.

If he can get past the ache in his heart, Kurt knows he'll be fine with just being friends.

Silently, they come to a mutual agreement to sit down in the lounges. There's no one else around, most of the passengers are either eating or attending the Christmas show. Kurt still has trouble reminding himself it's Christmas day. It's seventy-seven degrees; and the night sky is covered in stars and a bright moon that is reflecting off the water around them. He loves it, though honestly he wouldn't want to do this every Christmas—there's something about snow and cold weather and the ability to dress up in scarves and fitted peacoats that just makes Christmas special.

Turning on his side, Kurt watches Blaine, who is currently twirling the Dalton tie he removed a while ago around his fingers. Sadly, Christmas is almost over, and Blaine had given him a card, and Kurt hadn't given him anything in return. Kurt had gifts from his dad and Carole, and more waiting at home, and this has pretty much been the best Christmas in recent memory for him, and he finds himself wondering what Blaine would be doing right now, if they weren't here. So he asks.

Blaine shrugs, unraveling the tie from his hand. "I don't know. Watching _It's a Wonderful Life_ or _Meet Me in St. Louis_, I guess."

"Opening gifts?"

There's another shrug. "Sure."

Blaine's being evasive; it's kind of blatant. "Blaine, can I ask you something?"

His friend glances over at him in amusement. "As opposed to what you have been doing?"

Kurt flushes and glances down at his hands a moment before working up his courage. "Why don't you ever talk about your family?"

There's a brief pause before Blaine says, somewhat shortly, "I'm not defined by my family, Kurt."

Something in his tone causes Kurt to bristle slightly. "Are you saying I am?"

Almost instantly, Blaine sits up and reaches out for his hand. "No. No, I didn't mean that at all, Kurt. I didn't-" He stops, frowning a little, still holding Kurt's hand as he drops his gaze to the deck. When he finally brings his eyes back to Kurt's, they're shinier than they should be. "You're family is amazing, Kurt. I hope you know how lucky you are—your dad, Carole and Finn. They love you for who you are."

"I know," Kurt says softly, suddenly regretting bringing this topic up at all. He doesn't like the sudden raggedness of Blaine's voice or the way his friend can't seem to meet his gaze. He turns his hand in Blaine's, locking their fingers together. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

"No." Blaine shakes his head and looks away, but never let's go of Kurt's hand. "I mean, you deserve to know. It's not like it's a big secret or anything… I just generally try to ignore it."

He's silent for the next few moments, and Kurt doesn't press. He just waits and watches as Blaine brings his free hand up and does a very un-Blaine thing—he chews on his thumbnail. Kurt's guilt multiplies, and he has to resist reaching out to pull Blaine's hand away from his mouth. Blaine never chews his nails; he has perfect nails.

"My mom's family is very wealthy," he begins quietly, not looking at Kurt. "Old money, she always calls it. Debutante balls and whatnot. And in college she decided to rebel from that lifestyle by falling in love with and marrying my father—son to an elementary school teacher and small town cop. The marriage lasted approximately five years, resulting in my older brother Jameson, and me. And then my mother decided she was bored playing housewife and begged her family to take her back. She spends most of her time in Europe now—she calls and sends gifts when appropriate. Pays for my tuition at Dalton. I see her maybe once a year. We're friends, I suppose."

Blaine shrugs and flickers a quick look in Kurt's direction, and Kurt tries hard to keep his expression neutral, even as he fears that Blaine's story is just going to get worse.

"My dad remarried when I was seven." Blaine is no longer chewing on his nail but his gaze is back on the deck beneath his feet. "Barbara. They've got two daughters. My dad's a high school football coach. My brother is at Ohio State on a football scholarship. And then there's me."

Kurt squeezes his hand when he hears the bitterness that has crept into Blaine's voice, not wanting him to forget that he's there. _Blaine_ isn't supposed to sound like this. He's _never_ supposed to sound like this.

"When I was thirteen, I tried out for the football team at my junior high. I wanted to impress my dad, you know?" He looks up at Kurt then, and holds his gaze for a moment. "I was still coming to terms with who I was—I hadn't mentioned anything to anyone. I just tried to be… normal, I guess. But when I didn't make the team, I came home and told my father. He told me that '_No one wants a goddamn fag playing football, anyway'-"_

Kurt draws in a sharp breath.

"And well, I guess there wasn't much point in hiding how I felt after that. My father and I really haven't had much beyond polite exchanges of words since then."

"Blaine, I'm so sorr—"

"Don't," Blaine says hard and sharp as he looks back at Kurt. "I don't want that from _you_. I'm not telling you this so you'll feel bad for me or tell me how wrong my father is to treat his own son that way. I've heard it all and said it all to myself over and over again, and honestly, Kurt, I've spent the last two years at Dalton just trying to figure out who I am and where I fit in this world, and _God_, I hate reliving this."

He pulls his hand away then, and Kurt aches at the loss, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around his friend, but Blaine stands and begins pacing around the enclosed space of the deck. Only rarely has Kurt witnessed Blaine shed his usual veneer of calm, replacing it with a pent up nervous energy that Kurt thinks he only ever really releases when he's on stage. After all, no sixteen-year old boy is really as level-headed and in control as Blaine seems to be. There needs to be an outlet of some kind, and Kurt knows that for Blaine it's all in the performance.

"They're not bad, people," Blaine says after a moment. Kurt bites his lip to keep from expressing his own opinion on that matter. "I mean, I've seen my father with my brother, Jameson, and with my stepsisters. He's a really good father," _just not to me_, "and I don't even think he really blames my mother for leaving him or anything. He's just—"

"A bigot," Kurt says angrily because he can't hold it in any longer. He's hurt and enraged on Blaine's behalf because he knows, he _knows_ that fear of telling the man who raised you that you aren't the person he expected you to be. Only, his fears weren't realized, and his dad loves him and accepts him the way that a parent is supposed to, and goddamn it, Kurt just wants to scream.

Instead, he jumps up and moves over to Blaine who is just standing there, watching him, looking like he wants to refute what Kurt just said, but is completely unable to do so because _it's the truth_. Once Kurt reaches him though, he isn't certain what to do. Hug him? Take his hand?

"Jameson always tries to keep the peace." Blaine looks completely drained. "He's great, my brother. I think you'd like him. He just… " _Loves me for me_.

Kurt can hear the unspoken words, and he hugs Blaine because he can't think of anything else to do and Blaine doesn't want to hear "I'm sorry." At first, Blaine is stiff in his arms, and then he just melts against him, and Kurt tries very hard to ignore the wet warmth he feels falling against his neck. It hits Kurt then that this is the first time he's seen any real vulnerability out of Blaine, and he can't help but think that if his friend is willing to show him this much, it has to mean something.


	7. Chapter 7

_My apologies for how long this chapter is! I considered breaking it into two but couldn't really find a good break point for it, and everything that happens here kind of fits together so you just get an extra long chapter this time around. Umm, this one is a bit of a rollercoaster, but there are bright days ahead! Promise. Thank you again for the reviews – I really appreciate each and every one of them!_

_Hope you like this chapter. I was a bit of a maniac writing it. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt can't sleep that night. He just lies in bed and stares at the ceiling. And while he fakes sleeping when he hears Finn come in (he went with some of the Warblers to watch "A Christmas Story" in the cinema) because he just doesn't want to talk right now, his eyes are wide open again when Finn drops into bed and turns out the light. He hates that he just had to drop Blaine off at his stateroom, and that Blaine had given him that confident smile of his that Kurt is beginning to believe isn't all that confident after all. He can't imagine it could be—how does one walk around with such a brave front knowing deep inside their own father hates who they are? It's stupid and silly, and Kurt knows it's the last thing Blaine wants from him, but he can't help but feel a fierce surge of protectiveness developing within him knowing the truth of Blaine's family situation.

And maybe he cries a few tears because he knows he's so fortunate to have his dad and Carole, and even Finn, and he hates that Blaine doesn't. Here he has been coming to Blaine with his problems at school, and crying because he was shoved into a few lockers, and all this while Blaine has been offering a shoulder to lean on and words of courage, and the whole time he'd been fighting his own demons. And Kurt is a little bit angry at himself because he'd never asked. He'd just assumed. Sure, maybe Blaine may not have shared with him early on, but he _should have asked_.

Kurt finally gives up on any attempt to sleep at around five-thirty. He quietly gets out of bed and hides himself away in the bathroom to shower and complete his morning routine. Once his uniform is on for the early rehearsal, he makes his way out of the stateroom, closing the door softly behind him, and wanders down the corridor to their parent's stateroom. His dad's an earlier riser, so Kurt isn't too concerned when he knocks that he might wake him and Carole up.

And sure enough, when Burt pulls open the door he's already dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and a baseball cap, looking surprised to see Kurt standing there. "Hey there, kiddo. Come on in."

Kurt steps inside, whispering a morning greeting to Carole as his dad shuts the door behind him, and then, just because he's been thinking about it all night, Kurt turns and wraps his arms around his dad in a tight hug.

"Huh." Burt grunts before returning the hug and patting Kurt on the back. "Something wrong, Kurt?"

"No." Kurt pulls back and sniffs. "I just… I wanted to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Just… " He glances over his shoulder at Carole, and she's watching him with such obvious love and concern. And then he looks back at his dad, and the expression mirrored there is ten-fold. "Last night I learned some awful things about Blaine's parents and I just wanted to say thank you for accepting me for who I am. And that I love you."

"Oh, honey," Carole says sadly behind him as his dad pulls him into another hug. "I'm so sorry to hear that." She joins them and touches the hair at his temple before placing a kiss on his cheek. "Too often I hear about people in the world who have no right to be parents."

"God, I hate what you kids have to go through," Burt mutters, hugging Kurt a little more tightly. "The world's bad enough without bringing it into the family."

"Is Blaine all right?" Carole asks.

Kurt sighs, pulling back from his dad's embrace and forcing a half-smile. "Blaine's always all right. I'm beginning to realize the perfection he projects is his own way of focusing all of the stuff he doesn't want to deal with into something he can."

"The poor thing." His stepmom gives him a smile. "At least he has you."

Kurt smiles and nods, trying to adopt a slightly more cheery mood before heading to practice. "Are you going into port this morning?"

"Mark offered to chaperone for the day, so your dad and I have the day off. I hear the shopping on all of these islands is incredible!" Carole tells him with a laugh as his dad groans. "Do you want to join us?"

"Wes said something in the schedule about Mr. Ramsey arranging some tours for us on the islands. I think today we're supposed to go snorkeling."

His stepmother nods as she glances at Burt. "I guess we can all meet up for a quick dinner at the buffet before the show tonight."

"I'll see you both then. Have fun shopping!" Kurt kisses her cheek and hugs his dad once more before exiting the room.

Most of the Warblers are already in the theater when Kurt arrives. He immediately finds Blaine and makes his way over to him, returning the brightly offered smile as he approaches.

"Hey there," he greets, and there's a different sound in Blaine's tone this morning, something softer, intimate almost, as if meant only for Kurt. It warms him from his head to his toes, and he finds himself standing a little closer than he normally would, just drinking in the scent of Blaine's cologne and the honeyed color of his eyes.

Sometimes it's all Kurt can do to not just blurt out "_I love you_!"

Rehearsal runs smoothly, and the council seems assured that their shows that night will be well received. Even Mr. Price, who has a cup of coffee in his hand and a look on his face that says he may have been up too late partying the night before, seems positive that they'll be the talk of the _Millennium_. Still clutching his cup of coffee tightly, he hands tickets out to all of the boys for the excursion that day—

"Lord Sheffield Tall Ship," he tails them. "Kind of looks like an old pirate ship. There'll be snorkeling and BBQ. Try not to make enormous pigs of yourselves, got it? And Jared—no tossing anyone over the ship. I will be there and I will be writing you guys up if you get out of hand. Let's try to behave like civilized children, for once. Be on the dock at ten forty-five to meet up with the Lord Sheffield's first mate."

"Hear that?" Blaine asks Kurt with a teasing smile. "Snorkeling. Those riding boots of yours may just drag you under."

Kurt rolls his eyes playfully. "I'll have you know that I do, on occasion, get in the water. I even own an array of designer swim trunks, all perfectly coordinated with matching eye and footwear to compliment my complexion."

Blaine laughs as he reaches out to squeeze Kurt's hand. "I knew you wouldn't let me down. Meet you at your stateroom at ten thirty?"

"Definitely."

"Kurt?" Wes calls out. "Could you come here a second?"

Flashing a parting smile at Blaine, Kurt makes his way over to where Wes, David and Thad are standing at the side of the stage. "Yes?" he asks, trying not convey the nervousness he feels at the council wishing to speak with him. He doesn't think he's done anything wrong…

"We were just talking about our second set list," David begins. "And we decided to make a small change."

Kurt raises his brow, wondering what this has to do with him. _Oh no_! Are they taking his and Blaine's duet away?

Thad is the one who tells him, "We wondered if you'd be interested in singing lead on _Rio_?"

Kurt is certain he is gaping at them like a rather unattractive fish. "Wait, really?"

The three council members laugh and Wes places his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Yes, really. We think you'd be perfect for it."

"Oh my god!" Kurt bounces in place as he claps his hands in excitement. "Thank you so much! It'll be great—I promise!"

"We don't doubt that." David smiles. "Congrats, Kurt."

Bursting with the need to tell someone, he spins around, looking for Blaine. He hadn't seen him head out of the auditorium yet, so he had to still be around here somewhere. _Wait until he hears the news_! Kurt knows Blaine will be happy for him—they've discussed Kurt's disappointment in not getting a solo for Sectionals more than once. Kurt understands now that his choice for the audition had been inappropriate—he really should have turned to Blaine for advice as opposed to Rachel—but somewhere along the way, he had earned the council's trust in his ability. And not only is he getting a solo, but it's for the song he had suggested. The growing realization that just maybe he's found a new home with the Warblers comforts him with a feeling of belonging that he has tried to ignore as missing from his life at Dalton.

He heads backstage, peering around the curtains and the stacks of instruments, when he finally hears the familiar sound of Blaine's voice. Smiling, he makes his way toward it when Nick's voice brings him to a halt.

"You just don't seem to be thinking this through," he hears the boy say. "Sure, Kurt seems cool and all, but let's face it, Blaine, you have trouble seeing faults in anybody."

It's kind of true, but Kurt doesn't see what that has to do with him.

"I don't recall asking for your advice or your opinion, Nick."

"Yeah, I know. But you're going to hear it anyway."

There's a brief silence, and Kurt holds his breath, hoping and wanting Blaine to just leave. There's something about this conversation, something that tells Kurt maybe he should just turn around and walk away. But he doesn't. And neither does Blaine.

"I just think you need to be a little more objective when it comes to him."

"Meaning?"

"Seriously, Blaine? You're the first gay guy he's had in his life, and there isn't a person who doesn't fall for you anyway. Do you really think the way he looks at you now is going to mean anything six months down the road?" Nick snorts. "I guarantee the next gay guy he meets will be his new favorite thing in the world, and you'll be dropped like last season's fashions."

Kurt's hands curl into fists at his sides as the anger sweeps through him. How dare Nick make such a baseless accusation when he barely knows Kurt, certainly doesn't know what he's feeling, and is probably just speaking out of jealousy anyway as he continues to pretend he's straight while crushing on Blaine.

"First, if you ever make another crack like that last one again, I'll make certain you are out of the Warblers," and Kurt loves Blaine so much in that moment, he thinks he might burst, "Second, do you really think I haven't already thought of this? Yes, you're right. Somewhere down the road, Kurt may meet someone else and he'll forget all about me—"

And just like that, Kurt feels his heart shatter. It suddenly all makes sense—Blaine doesn't want to have a relationship with him because he thinks Kurt has a crush just because Blaine is gay. And that… that hurts more than anything he can possibly imagine.

Unable to hear any more about his apparently false and fleeting feelings for Blaine, Kurt makes his way out of the Celebrity Theater. He blindly wanders until he realizes he doesn't know where he's going. Mostly, he just wants to lock himself in his stateroom, curl up on his bed and cry. Dashing at the few tears that do escape, he hurries his way through the ship, ignoring greetings from Flint and Kendrick as he pushes past them in the corridor and fumbles in his pocket for his passcard key. He pushes the door open and stands there, angry and hurting as it slams shut behind him.

Today is supposed to be special, spending it on the excursion with the Warblers, swimming with Blaine in the Caribbean ocean. But today just hurts because Blaine doesn't believe Kurt's feeling are true. Blaine actually thinks Kurt would just forget about him if another gay boy came along.

Oddly enough, he doesn't cry. As much as he wants to, as much as his heart hurts and his chest aches, as much as his throat and eyes burn, he doesn't let it happen. He thinks it's because he's angry, too. As confusing as some of the signs have been that Blaine has thrown in his direction, there _has been_ flirting. _Obvious_, flirting. From the moment they met and Blaine sang to him. The theater outings. The dinners. Singing _Baby Its Cold Outside_ together in the common room. Every single time Blaine has held his hand. And he's angry because it's all been an obvious lie. Blaine has led him on time and again, _made_ Kurt fall in love with him, and all the while knowing it wasn't happening. He never said a thing. He never said he wasn't interested and that he never would be interested. He never said that he thought Kurt just had a crush, and he needed to get over it.

And Kurt realizes he's not so angry at Nick anymore, because he can't help but wonder if Blaine hadn't put Nick through the exact same thing. If maybe Blaine hadn't flirted with him outrageously, made him feel things he had never felt before, and then told him it was all a straight guy crush, and maybe Nick should just forget about him?

Kurt's disgruntled at the idea of siding with Nick, but right now, he's just so angry and hurt, he'll grasp at anything that might provide a sense of reason as to why this is happening.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

His dad and Carole don't question his request to go into port with them and skip out on the boat excursion with the Warblers.

In fact, at least one member of the family is thrilled when Kurt offers his ticket to the excursion to Finn so he can go snorkeling instead of shopping. It's a win-win scenario for everyone in the family, it seems, and even though Kurt pretends he's just as happy with the arrangement as they all are, it takes every ounce of strength he has to not just stand there and cry. If anyone is curious over his change of plans, they don't say anything, and Kurt is hopeful he can make it through the day without dwelling too much on the overheard conversation. If he can survive today, then maybe he can survive tomorrow. And the next. All the while knowing that everything he thought Blaine could possibly be feeling in return has been a lie.

Kurt's hopes are dashed, though, as he follows his dad and Carole out of the stateroom to find Blaine approaching. _Damn_. He had completely forgotten about agreeing to meet him.

"Ready to go?" Blaine asks with a smile.

Kurt glances away from his gaze and tells him, "Actually, I'm going into port to go shopping with my parents. I gave Finn my ticket."

"Shopping?" Blaine's smile broadens. "Sounds like fun."

"You're welcome to join us, Blaine," Carole offers so sweetly that at first, Kurt isn't certain what to do.

And just as it seems Blaine is about to accept, Kurt cuts him off, saying, "I'm sure Blaine would _much rather_ spend the day snorkeling with the Warblers."

At his words, the look on Blaine's face is actually painful, and Kurt has to drop his gaze, mentally cursing at himself for even caring what Blaine might be feeling right then. He wants to scream _You hurt me, too_!, and he can't because his dad is there and Carole is there, and all of this is already more uncomfortable than he had intended.

"I—" Blaine still seems taken aback by Kurt's refusal of his company. Finally, he says quietly, "Kurt's right. I mean, I don't get to go snorkeling every day."

"Give the group my regrets," Kurt tells him as he pushes past Blaine to make his way down the corridor.

He doesn't look back, but he can feel Blaine's gaze on him all the way to the staircase.

It's not until they reach the dock and are passing through the gates into the port of Philipsburg, St. Maarten that Carole leans in to ask him what's wrong. "I really thought you would have wanted Blaine to join us. Did something happen between you?"

"No." _And nothing ever will_. "I just… after what we talked about this morning, I just wanted to spend time with you and Dad."

He hates lying to her. He wants to tell her everything in the mad hope that she could somehow make it all better, but he really can't imagine such a thing would be possible. After all, she can't force Blaine to love him anymore than he can.

"As long as that's all it is." Carole hugs his shoulders briefly. "I'm happy to have you along so we can deal with your dad's moping over shopping together."

"I'm betting this place doesn't even have a decent sports store," Burt mutters as he looks around.

Opening his satchel, Kurt withdraws the map and information sheet on St. Maarten that was provided with the _Celebrity Today_ that morning. "It looks like there are over sixty shops, at least half of them jewelry shops, and none of them deal in sportswear or sports paraphernalia." His dad grunts at that. "Oh, but you might like this, Dad, "That Yoda Guy" at Planet Paradise—it's apparently stuff signed by the guy who made Yoda for Star Wars."

"Well, at least it's not jewelry…"

Downtown Philipsburg is really just a long street lined with shopping. If Kurt didn't feel like his entire world was ending, he knew he'd probably be begging his dad to let him move here. He should love every moment they spend moving from one shop to another, glancing through so much designer jewelry that Burt begins making remarks as to how it all had to be fake. He scoffs and shrugs when Kurt shows him price tags ranging into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Shops lie."

There are bargains as well, and Kurt finally has to force himself away from a pair of gorgeous topaz cufflinks that he knows Blaine would love, and that would look perfect with his coloring, and Kurt ends up stomping out of the shop, angry at himself for even thinking about Blaine.

He does spend some money in Del Sol, buying a pair of sunglasses that change color in the sunlight that he knows Mercedes will love, and a pair of earrings that do the same for Quinn. There's bright purple nail polish that when exposed to sunlight turns black that he picks up for Tina, some color changing lip gloss for Brittany, a nondescript t-shirt that reads "Diva" in the sunlight for Rachel, and a hair tie for Santana. (He is about to check out when he realizes he should probably get Santana something just because making enemies with Santana is stupid.) He spends the money on the girls because he misses them, and he wishes that they were all there right now so that he could talk to them about Blaine—and then he'd sit back and watch as Mercedes kicked his ass.

The thought makes him smile. He misses Mercedes so much.

They have lunch in a little café on the waterfront, and Kurt is mostly silent as he picks at his salad and half-sandwich, watching as across from him, Carole and his dad share smiles, and tease one another about the shopping. He enjoys seeing his dad so in love, especially since Carole is so amazing, and obviously loves Burt in return. And it isn't the first time that he's watched them and found himself wondering if he'll ever have a chance to be that happy. To have someone who wants to spend the rest of their life with him, to raise a family together, to tease and laugh with. It isn't the first time he thinks it, but today it hurts a little worse than usual. He had stupidly put so much hope into his feelings for Blaine, convincing himself that maybe this time he would really and truly have a chance to find out what it feels like to have what everyone else around him gets to have.

It would all be so much easier if he could hate Blaine. If he could fuel his anger over the hurt.

They explore the Dutch settlement until late afternoon, and Kurt knows he has to get back to the ship and change for the pre-show rehearsal. They make their way through port security, and then again through security on the ship, passcards in hand, to see the Warblers and Finn had arrived just ahead of them. The group is raucous and loud as they make their way to the elevators, and most of the boys are too red from their day in the sun, and Kurt can't help but think how their complexions will clash with the Dalton uniforms.

Blaine is hanging back, talking with Flint and Galen, and he gives a small smile when their eyes meet, though it's obviously forced and filled with silent questions. Looking away quickly, Kurt tries not to feel guilty about it. He really had enjoyed spending time with his parents, and even if that hadn't been his initial intention, he isn't going to feel bad about it now. Finn eventually pulls himself away from the other boys and makes his way over to join his family, and he's a much-welcomed distraction as he tells them all about his day. How there's a ground swell from the weather up north, and they couldn't snorkel because the water was all murky, but they swam and they ate barbecued ribs and chicken, and the water was really rough on the way back, and Kendrick threw up on the deck, and Brett threw up over the side, and Finn wasn't seasick at all. He'd thought the rocking of the boat and the waves that kept crashing over the bow were awesome.

By the time the stepbrothers reach their stateroom, Kurt's more occupied with Finn's incessant rambling than with any guilt he'd had over hurting Blaine's feelings.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt doesn't know why he thought he could hide it.

Halfway through rehearsing _Baby Its Cold Outside_, he realizes they've all stopped singing. Blaine is standing in front of him, brow furrowed with concern. He steps up, putting his hand on Kurt's arm, and it's impossible not to flinch. He knows that Blaine catches it when the expression on his face grows more worried.

"Kurt, are you all right?" Wes is standing beside them now, and David and Thad have joined them as well.

"Are you not feeling well?" Blaine asks, searching his gaze.

"I'm f-fine," he says, and his voice is unconvincing to his own ears.

"You're not fine." David is laying his hand on Kurt's forehead. "This isn't like you, man. You're like not into the song at all."

"You were out of step with the earlier songs, too," Thad points out.

"Kurt, if you're not feeling well enough to perform this number, then we need to know," Wes says quietly. "If this thing isn't spot on charming from the get-go, it's going to be a complete disaster. We only put it in because you and Blaine make it work."

"No." Kurt looks at each of the council members, specifically avoiding Blaine's gaze. He's being stupid, he knows. He loves singing, and he's finding his place with the Warblers, and the last thing he should be doing is allowing his problems with Blaine to interfere with that. After all, if he lost the Warblers, what would he have left anymore?

"I just have a little headache. I'll be fine in time for the performance, I promise. The show must go on, right?"

He'll get through this. He's done it before. When the memory of Blaine is long gone, Kurt will still have his music. He'd be stupid to give that up.

And so, Kurt puts Blaine from his mind as the lights come up on their first performance of the night. He knows that his family is out in the audience watching, and Mr. Ramsey is supposed to be here too, and the Warblers just don't work if one of them is giving less than his all. So he focuses on the music, and the applause they receive between each number, and he tries not to let it hurt when he watches Blaine out there in front during his numbers, smiling and bouncing around the stage, and making everyone in the audience fall completely in love with him.

Why does he have to make it so easy to fall in love him?

When it's time for _Baby Its Cold Outside_, Wes announces the song and reintroduces Blaine, and then Kurt, and they step forward together. Kurt knows the only way to make this song work is to stop thinking how much Blaine has hurt him, and focus instead on how very much Kurt still is in love with Blaine.

As the Warblers begin harmonizing behind them, Blaine does a little dance step toward Kurt, spinning as he nears him and flashing that trademark flirtatious smile.

Kurt looks at him coyly and sings: "_I really can't stay_—"

"_Baby it's cold outside_." 

"_I've got to go away_—"

"_Baby it's cold outside_."

"_This evening has been_—"

"_Been hoping that you'd drop in_…"

"_So very nice_—"

"_I'll hold your hands_," Blaine sings, moving up and taking Kurt's hands in his, eyes widening in mock concern as he continues, "_they're just like ice_…"

Kurt pulls his hands from his grip and dances away, weaving between the Warblers as he sings. He glances over his shoulder flirtatiously, singing about how much his mother will worry, and his father will be pacing the floor. And Blaine keeps trying, begging just a little bit as he drops momentarily to his knees. And Kurt dances back toward him. "_Well maybe just a half a drink more_—"

Blaine grins. "_Put some music on while I pour_…"

The Warblers play with them like they did in the rehearsal, stepping between them as Blaine pursues Kurt, laughing and pointing as he is continually rebuffed. Occasionally, Kurt allows Blaine to catch up with him, and they'll briefly touch hands, step past one another, bump shoulders, lean in as if they might kiss before he spins and dances away.

"_You've really been grand_—" Kurt touches Blaine's hand as he dances past, casting a glance over his shoulder as Blaine trills after him only to realize he's gone, "_I thrill when you touch my hand_…"

"_But don't you see_—"

"_How can you do this thing to me_?"

Kurt smiles at the exasperation in Blaine's voice and the desperation in his expression as he follows Kurt back to the center of the stage, still in pursuit. Kurt leans in toward him as if whispering a secret, "_There's bound to be talk tomorrow_ –"

Blaine offers his best pout in response. "_Think of my life long sorrow_..."

"_At least there will be plenty implied_—"

"_If you caught pneumonia and died_!"

Kurt shakes his head sadly. "_I really can't stay_—"

"_Get over that hold out_!" Blaine pulls Kurt in front of him, wrapping his arms around his waist and leaning over his shoulder as they sing together:

"_Ahh, but it's cold outside!_"

The applause are instantaneous. Kurt sees his dad and Carole and Finn jump to their feet, and then others around them begin to do the same. He recognizes the older men from the night before in the front row, also on their feet applauding—the shorter of the two, who kind of reminds Kurt of Santa Claus with his pure white hair and bushy beard, is wiping his eyes. Blaine pulls away from him and takes his hand, and they both take a bow together, and Kurt tries to ignore the brief squeeze Blaine gives to his fingers. They bow once more and turn as rehearsed, stepping back into line with the Warblers as Jeff moves past them for _Frosty the Snowman_.

"I would have to follow the two of you," he mutters at them with a smile.

Eventually the applause dies down, and they continue on with their set. All of the songs are well received, and the audience really gets into the medley at the end, singing along and clapping, and when Steve the cruise director appears at the end of their performance, he gets the audience to their feet once more for a last standing ovation. There are hoots and hollers (which Kurt distinctly recognizes as his dad and Finn), and the Warblers are hurrying backstage where the stage manager ushers them quickly through the tunnel along the wall to emerge outside the auditorium to greet the audience as they leave.

Kurt is unable to avoid Blaine who immediately slips up beside him, that charming smile of his present as he thanks each passenger for attending, and for their gracious words. There are a few people who pass by that clearly do their best to avoid eye contact with the both of them, but far more than that stop and tell them how adorable their song was, and they've never heard a better version.

When the couple from the front row appears, Kurt finds he can only nod mutely as Eddy introduces himself and his partner, Carl, and they shake hands, and Eddy says, "I honestly never thought I'd have the chance to see such a thing. Thank you, both of you. You were beautiful up there."

"Thank you, sir," Blaine responds as Kurt flushes, and he can't help but stare at the men's clasped hands as they walk away, and he hates that it aches so bad. He wants to be happy for them, he wants to tell them seeing such a thing gives him hope… but the boy standing beside him is all he wants in the world, and right now it feels like Blaine is a million miles out of reach.

"Date rape song or no," Burt says as he approaches to pull Kurt into a hug. "You boys knocked that one out of the ballpark!"

"Thanks, Mr. Hummel," Blaine laughs as Carole comes up and kisses his cheek before turning to Kurt and pulling him away from Burt into her own embrace. "Really, Kurt, Blaine, you were both amazing up there! You made the song so much fun!"

"Yeah, dudes," Finn agrees with a nod toward them both. "It was a lot more awesome than I was expecting."

"Ah, Finn," Kurt smiles. "Your back-handed compliments always mean so much."

Finn pulls a face at Kurt's sarcasm and then shrugs in response.

Carole still has her arms around Kurt, and he finds himself leaning in to her touch. He knows she wants to ask him what has made him upset all day, but he appreciates that she hasn't. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, when he can talk about it without bawling and wanting to kick puppies and kittens. For now, he just enjoys her comforting presence, and both she and his dad are smiling at him like he discovered the cure for cancer or something.

In fact, he almost forgets that Blaine is there until his friend makes a small noise meant to get his attention. "Kurt, we should probably head backstage and get ready for the next show."

Kurt nods and hugs Carole, accepting more congratulations from his family before he turns and makes his way back into the narrow tunnel. He can feel Blaine following behind, and he speeds up just a little, hoping he can strike up a conversation with one or two of the other Warblers and continue to avoid his friend.

Unfortunately, Blaine seems to sense this. "Hey, Kurt. Wait up."

Sighing, Kurt stops and waits at the back of the stage.

"Great performance."

"Yeah."

Blaine stands there for a second, hands in his pockets as if he's waiting for Kurt to say something more. He seems to realize that isn't going to happen, and that familiar look of concern flashes through his eyes. "This morning, umm, it seemed like…" He pauses, as if searching for words. "Like you were trying to avoid me."

Kurt arches a brow at him. "Oh?"

Blaine actually looks uncomfortable now. "Were you?"

Kurt considers saying yes and just getting it over with. And honestly, it would probably have been nicer than what he does say: "I wanted to spend time with my family, Blaine. Not everything is about _you_, you know."

And he flounces off.

Okay, so normally Kurt would shave the head of the first person who accused him of flouncing, but this time he intentionally does it. '_How do you like that_?' he hopes his action conveys, and he doesn't bother looking back because he knows in his heart that Blaine's expression would probably kill him, so he makes his way over to where Galen, Byron and Brett are talking, and places himself securely in their circle.

Unfortunately, Kurt's little attempt at retaliation completely blows up in his face.

When they begin their second show of the night, it's painfully obvious that Blaine is totally off his mark. He's out of tune, barely seems to remember the simple steps and looks as if he'd rather be sitting through a Justin Beiber concert than singing. It ends up throwing them all off, but Kurt is the worst. He hates Blaine for making him say what he said, and he hates himself for saying it. Their performance of _Baby Its Cold Outside _is positively miserable, and when they get back in line to a smattering of applause, Wes is _glaring_ at them. David is shaking his head, muttering under his breath and Kurt just about stomps off the stage when he catches Nick staring at him in accusation.

The set seems to drag on endlessly, and when it's finally, blessedly over, Kurt doesn't head through the tunnel, doesn't greet the audience to find out how horrible the performance was. He heads straight off the stage and pushes his way through the crowd to exit the auditorium.

He needs air.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Kurt."

Kurt ignores Blaine's call and keeps walking toward the aft of deck eleven. It's cooler than the past two nights have been and the wind is whipping hard across the ship. He wraps his arms around his chest and silently hopes that Blaine will catch a clue and just leave him alone.

"Hey!" He hears Blaine jogging up behind him, dashing his hopes that Blaine could ever catch a clue, and then there's a hand on his shoulder, stopping him, turning him around.

"Don't touch me!" He snaps, jerking back.

Blaine stares at him in silence for a moment. "What's going on? What was that back there? That wasn't even _you_ on stage."

"Maybe singing with the Warblers bores me, ever think of that?" Kurt says irrationally.

Blaine's still staring at him like he's got horns growing out of his head. He rubs a hand over his face a moment as if thinking something through. "It's kind of obvious there's something wrong, Kurt."

"Oh, really?" Kurt responds, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Surprised you noticed."

Blaine sighs. "I'm not even going to pretend to know what that's supposed to mean any more than I'm going to pretend to know what's going on with you today. Seriously, Kurt, what'd I do?" He moves up to him, and his voice is slightly pleading. "If you don't tell me, I can't make it better."

It's the sincerity in Blaine's tone that sets Kurt off. Because on the surface, Blaine seems so perfect and everything Kurt could have ever dreamed of, and in reality he just _isn't_.

"You want to make it 'better', Blaine? Why don't you try not assessing my feelings like you're some kind of psychoanalyst? Why don't you give me a little goddamn credit for knowing my own mind and my own heart! Why don't you stop acting like you're somehow superior to all of the rest of us and you would just never in your life make a mistake!"

Blaine holds up his hands and takes a step back, a flicker of irritation flashing across his expression. "Whoa, Kurt. You might want to slow down before you say something you'll regret."

"The only thing I regret right now is allowing myself to fall for _you_!" He's not yelling, but he's close. And Blaine just standing there, looking like _he_ is somehow the one who was wronged, is making Kurt's anger grow.

He tries not to watch as Blaine looks away for a moment, licking his lips, brow furrowed with apparent confusion. Kurt wants him to just go away instead of pretending he can make this right again.

"I am so lost right now," Blaine says, finally bringing his gaze back to Kurt. "I thought that we were—" He stops himself from whatever it is he was going to say. "Kurt, whatever it is you think I _did_—"

"I heard you, Blaine!"

And Kurt hates that his voice is trembling as he says it. All he ever seems to do is cry in front of this boy and he can't, _not now_.

"I heard you talking to Nick this morning. I heard how I'm just interested in you because you're _gay_, and I'll just throw myself at the _next_ gay boy who comes along. What hurts the most is that apparently it's easier for you to just go on breaking my heart than to possibly take a chance on me breaking yours. And, guess what, Blaine? I'm old enough to know my own heart, and I know what a crush feels like, and I know this is so much more than that!"

His hands fist at his sides and he takes a step toward his friend and _to hell with it_, he might as well get this over with. "I _love_ you, Blaine, and I have since you took my hand on that stairwell and you sang to me, _and I didn't even know you were gay then_! And you made me believe that maybe this time things might be different for me. You've led me on and made me think that maybe you could feel the same, knowing full well with everything I've told you that friends are all I've ever been allowed to have, no matter how often I've wanted more. I thought—" He takes a deep breath and looks up for a moment, unable to meet Blaine's gaze anymore because it hurts, it hurts _so much_.

"I want someone who will hold my hand when we walk down the hallway. I want someone to share secret jokes with that we can whisper into each other's ears. I want someone to kiss and hold. I want someone to _dance_ with. I want—I want what everyone else seems to be allowed to have—everyone but _me—and I wanted that person to be you!_ If you took just one moment to step out of your self-help books, you'd know this about me."

_Dammit. More tears. _

Kurt brushes them away quickly, taking another breath, breathing out. "I've harbored this stupid hope that we would be together. I've wanted that so much, and I was willing to wait because a part of me hoped you wanted it, too. I don't even think you understand what you mean to me—and what you and Nick were saying about what you think I feel? It _hurt_. You might as well have said 'I'm sorry, Kurt, but I'm straight'. At least I know how to deal with that."

There's silence, and Kurt can't bring himself to look at Blaine because he feels foolish now; foolish and raw and _oh so exposed_, and if he could take it all back, he would. He should have just kept quiet, remained silent and heartbroken all on his own, and pretended right along with Blaine that friendship was all they could ever have, and it was _fine, dammit, just fine_.

"Are you finished?"

And Kurt doesn't miss the odd undertone of Blaine's question, like maybe he's a little angry and maybe he's a lot frustrated, and what right does he have to feel either of those things? But Kurt just takes a breath and nods once, brushing furiously at the tears that continue to escape.

"So, I can talk now, right?"

Folding his arms across his chest, Kurt doesn't even dignify that with a response.

Sighing, Blaine moves to sit at the foot of a lounge chair, leaning his elbows on his knees as he gazes up at Kurt. "I take it from your… outburst that you didn't stick around to listen to the whole conversation? You just stood there until you got mad, and then left."

"I didn't want to eavesdrop," Kurt mutters.

Blaine laughs and covers his face with his hands, and really, Kurt doesn't think any of this is funny. His friend, who he is in love with, is a complete and utter jerk! He only wishes he'd known sooner.

"God, Kurt, sometimes you just make me want to—" Blaine doesn't finish the sentence. He just drops his hands and sighs again, and stares up at Kurt like he's trying to figure him out. Finally, he waves a hand toward the chair beside him. "Come here."

"I don't want to—"

"_Sit_."

Kurt glares at the command but drops onto the chair, still refusing to look at Blaine. He's aching inside, and he wishes Blaine would just leave him alone and let him cry and get past this.

"If you _had_ stuck around long enough to listen, you would have heard me tell Nick that I don't care if you do find someone you like better than me—any time spent _with you_ would be worth the hurt of losing you to someone else."

Kurt flickers a glance in Blaine's direction. _What_?

"Kurt." Blaine reaches out and takes his hand, even though Kurt fights it just a little. "I haven't been leading you on. I wouldn't _do_ that. If you think you've seen an indication from me that I may just return your feelings, it's because _I do_."

And it's that _damn_ sincerity in his voice that really makes Kurt start listening to what Blaine is saying to him. "From the moment I turned to find you standing there above me on the staircase, you've had my heart. Sometimes I can hardly stand the feelings I have for you, they're so overwhelming. When you look at me the way you do, when you give me that beautiful smile I know is mine alone—I'm never quite certain how my heart doesn't just implode."

"I don't understand." Kurt pulls his hand back slowly because he's not ready for this, not ready to believe. "If you're telling me the truth, why haven't you done anything? Said anything? Something. A kiss. Whatever."

"Because I _can't_." Blaine holds his gaze for a long moment before continuing, "You took that choice away from me the moment you told me that Karofsky had been your first kiss. I'm not going to do that, Kurt. I'm not going to be yet another guy who just takes from you what you have to be willing to give."

"But I just told you that I love—"

"That doesn't change things," Blaine says, shaking his head. "In fact, it makes it worse. What, I'm just supposed to say 'Oh, Kurt loves me. Guess it's okay to kiss him now!'. I can't bring myself to do that to you. And you would question it, Kurt—maybe not immediately but eventually because _that's who you are_. Somewhere between the time that we first met and my ridiculous attempt to play mentor to you, you developed this idea of me and of yourself that just isn't true."

Blaine reaches over and takes Kurt by the chin, bringing him close. He says quietly, but firmly, "I'm _not_ the strong one, here. And I'm waiting for you to understand that."

"But I _don't _understand." Kurt hates that his voice trembles a little because, deep down inside, he thinks that he does.

Blaine smiles softly, and he moves his hand from Kurt's chin to brush the bangs away from his forehead. His touch is so gentle that Kurt can't help but move in to it a little bit. He can't begin to describe the feeling sweeping through him that Blaine's touch invokes. They've touched before, held hands, briefly hugged. Mercedes has brushed his hair aside with care and tenderness. But this… _this is so much more_. The intimacy, in something so simple, is beyond what Kurt ever thought possible. Blaine is touching him because _he wants to_, because maybe, just like Kurt longs to touch Blaine, it's all he can think about.

"You're so used to hearing _no_, Kurt, and _stay away_ and dozens of other reprimands that hurt, and scar you deep inside—I _know_, I do—and they've become a part of you, and made you afraid of hearing them again. And this, _us_, is never going to work until you believe fully and completely," he cups Kurt's face between his hands, and holding his gaze says, "_I'm never going to tell you no_.

"You don't realize how amazing and wonderful you are, do you? How you make me feel like I can do anything, and I've never felt like this with someone before. Daily I have to tell myself to back off, to not smother you, to give you that chance to come back to accepting who you are and what you want, and _god_, all I want to know is what it feels like to kiss you—"

And Kurt breaks at his words, because he'd given up hope, never thought he would hear such a thing, couldn't bring himself to believe in it any longer—and _Blaine wants to kiss him_!

"—To hold your hand and walk down the hall and let everyone know that _you're mine_."

Blaine pauses and his thumbs brush at Kurt's tears, and Kurt doesn't care anymore that they're falling. "You have to be the one to take that first step, Kurt. I _can't_. I can't do that for you. And I think you know that. I think—I could be wrong—but everything about what I know of you leads me to believe that at a different point in your life, it wouldn't have taken you this long to tell me how you really feel."

Kurt drops his gaze, and the tears don't hurt anymore. He's not sure when it happened—sometime in the last few moments—but the ache is gone and there's this incredible warmth moving through him… a different kind of ache. A brilliant and amazing and wonderful kind of ache and he's crying because he's never felt anything like it before.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kurt," Blaine tells him, and his fingers move through Kurt's hair and then he's closer, leaning into him, his scent surrounding Kurt as his mouth brushes against his ear. And Kurt shudders at the touch, and closes his eyes, and wonders how any of this can possibly be real as Blaine whispers, "If I am what you want and need in your life, all you have to do is tell me."

At the moment, Kurt is incapable of words. Somehow—and he doesn't know if he initiated it or Blaine did—but _somehow_ he is in Blaine's arms, sobbing against his shoulder, and it isn't even about them anymore. It isn't about his stupidity for being angry at Blaine for no reason whatsoever, and it isn't about the fact that Blaine loves him—_Blaine loves him_! It's because he has been slowly and methodically burying everything he has ever wanted deep down where no one could touch it, no one could take it away from him, and maybe, just maybe, he could keep himself from thinking about it. It's because Blaine has given him this marvelous key, and all he has to do is turn it and all of those secrets and longings and wishes and near-dead dreams will be _right there_.

His to take. His to live.

Kurt doesn't kiss Blaine that night. He doesn't have to. There's no urgency, no desperation to experience what he thought he might never have now.

Eventually, they stretch out on the lounge chair together, and Blaine just holds him. Kurt lies there with his head on Blaine's chest, and as he listens to the heart beating beneath his ear his tears mostly subside. Every now and then, Blaine tightens his embrace or makes a comment about the thousands of stars visible overhead. At one point he remarks that he has a bruise on his shin _Thanks very much, by the way_, and Kurt laughs and presses his face against Blaine's shoulder, closing his eyes and breathing in everything that is Blaine as they fall back in to silence.

When they walk hand in hand back to the staterooms on deck five, they don't really say much at all. He feels Blaine give his hand an extra squeeze as he whispers "Goodnight", and Kurt thinks _I love you_ but he doesn't say it because he knows he doesn't have to—Blaine already knows, and everything's okay.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt's still crying a little when Finn returns to the room.

His stepbrother stares at him in what can only be described as terror at first, before moving over to his side and awkwardly putting his arm around his shoulders. And Kurt doesn't even know how to explain to Finn that he's crying because everything he's ever wanted is right there waiting for him, and he can just reach out and take it. And it's too much. He doesn't even know how to deal with it. He's so flooded with emotions and ideas of _what can be_ and _what is_ and _what has never been_ that he doesn't even know where to begin.

"Do you need me to get your dad or something?" Finn finally asks, and Kurt thinks that has to be the most horrible idea _ever_ at the moment.

"No. No. I just—" Another wave of tears hit, and Kurt buries his face in his hands.

"Ummm." Finn is making noises of extreme discomfort in front of him. "Did Blaine do something? Did he hurt you? I can totally beat him up if he did."

And then Kurt is laughing, and shaking his head, falling back on his bed and just dying with laughter because this is seriously the most incredible feeling ever.

"Dude…"

"He loves me!" Kurt laughs, and he spreads his arms wide above his head as he gazes up at the ceiling. "He loves me, Finn! Blaine loves me and he wants to be with me!"

"Well, that's… good, right?"

"It's amazing." Kurt wipes at the tears on his cheeks and laughs again.

"Yeah, so, ummm… is this like a gay thing, or something? Because you're totally not making any sense, dude."

Kurt rolls his eyes and contains his laughter long enough to sit up and flash Finn a _Did you really just say that_? expression. He closes his eyes as he tries to put into words what he's feeling so that maybe Finn will understand. Also, he doesn't need Finn running off to tell his dad that Blaine made Kurt cry. Soon enough there's going to be an awkward conversation with his dad about Blaine anyway, and he just needs some time to get used to all of this before that occurs.

For now, though, he tries to explain, "Imagine if you were told that you had to stop liking the girl you liked. That your interest was unwanted, that you creeped her out, that you didn't have the _right_ to like her—"

"Dude, when I said those things—"

"No, let me finish, Finn. This isn't about what you said to me—" _No, wait. That isn't right._ "Okay, so it kind of is about that but it's all right. I don't hold it against you. I don't think you had the right to say it to me the way that you did, and honestly, it's been messing with me ever since. But, the thing is, it's okay now."

He glances over at his stepbrother to see that Finn looks hurt, and wary. Kurt sighs.

"I just want you to try to understand. Like I said, there's this girl you like—maybe a few girls you like—but you're told you're not allowed to like them. You don't mean anything by it, you just have all of these feelings like any normal teenager but you aren't allowed to act on them. Some people tell you that you don't even have the right to feel the way that you do. And one day, you realize you've been hearing this for so long that you start trying to bury those feelings. You bury everything because it's easier to just not feel than to be told you aren't allowed to. And you pretend that it's okay and you're fine, but really it isn't and you aren't, and you feel so angry and stifled, and all you can do is wonder why it has to be like this?"

Kurt takes a breath, pausing, and he realizes that Finn is watching him, really watching, the hurt and wariness slowly being replaced by something stricken and painful. Unable to continue with Finn watching him like that, Kurt looks away, and as he speaks, he finds himself smiling again.

"And then one day, the girl of your dreams walks right up to you and she says it's okay—she knows how you feel about her, and she feels the same way, too, and there's nothing wrong with that. Your attentions are wanted, and returned, and you don't have to be alone anymore. You don't have to wonder why it seems that everyone is deserving of something you aren't because it just isn't true. You just had to be patient. She was right there waiting for you the whole time."

When he's finished, he turns back to his stepbrother to find that Finn can't seem to meet his gaze. His eyes flicker around the room, at everything but Kurt. Finally, he starts to say, "Dude, Kurt, I didn't realize—"

Finn stands and moves away from the bed, pacing within the small confined space and Kurt watches as dozens of emotions seem to filter through his eyes, and it's kind of amazing because there's this realization going on in Finn's head, and Kurt can see it happening. Something more than when Finn sang to Kurt at the wedding, when he apologized for not having his back. Because that had been all about Kurt; it had been confined to everything that had happened between the two of them, acceptance as friends and family. But this isn't just about Kurt; it's about Blaine, too, and every other boy or girl who realized they were different, and were constantly told they were wrong and unwanted because of it.

"I'm sorry," Finn says suddenly, and he looks wrecked. "I never thought—_I didn't think_—everything me and the other guys take for granted is everything you haven't been allowed to have. I'm sorry, Kurt, for what I've said and how I've acted. You've got to know that you and Blaine—well, I think it's awesome. And I'm totally happy for you. And he's cool. And I wish it all could have happened without everything that's gone down, ya know?"

Kurt smiles. "Yeah. I know. And thanks, Finn. I think I'm really starting to like having a brother."

Finn returns the smile. "Yeah. Same here."


	8. Chapter 8

_First off, thank you so much for the awesome reviews on the last chapter! I really fretted over that one a LOT and reading how much people enjoyed it really touched me. Of course, now I fear letting you down for the rest of the fic! LOL Just, thank you again. I really love the reviews._

_This is a day later than I had anticipated (my graduate work is getting in the way of fanfic—what is that?). It is also four scenes shorted than I had planned because these scenes ended up longer than expected. So it just means I decided to split the day in two. The next part should be up tomorrow. This is fluffier than the last chapter, so you're getting a break from angst. Also, the Warblers kind of take over this chapter. I am kind of in love with all of them, but you may notice a few in particular._

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

It's the oddest feeling in the world, but when Kurt wakes up the next morning, he realizes he can breathe. And he does. He just lays in bed, staring up at the ceiling, and breathes. It's as if the last few months, the last year—everything that's happened—has been this suffocating weight pressing down on him, stifling him, forcing him to turn in on himself. And now, while still present, the weight isn't all consuming, all overpowering. He closes his eyes, and breathes in and out, in and out, and the tips of his fingers tingle. His entire body is humming with energy.

_Today_, he thinks, and smiles.

Slipping out of bed, he makes his way around Finn's bed, where his stepbrother is curled up in an extremely tight fetal position just to fit on the mattress, and pushes the small curtain aside from the porthole to look out. Behind him, Finn groans and Kurt hears the bed sheets rustle as he apparently pulls them over his head. The port of Castries in St. Lucia is magnificent—turquoise colored water surrounded by land that is lush and green. There's a small marina filled with sailboats, and up on land, almost hidden by palm and banana trees, is a cow, munching on grass, a thin rope tied from his neck to a nearby tree. Kurt doesn't see a house anywhere nearby and can't help but wonder who the cow belongs to—there isn't a fence in sight.

"What time is it?" Finn mumbles from under the sheets.

Kurt leans over to look at the phone display, which holds the only clock in the room. He's wondered if that isn't done on purpose. "Six forty-five."

"Shouldn't you be at rehearsal or something?"

"Nope. We have the day off." Kurt steps away from the window, leaving the curtain open; he then picks the schedule off the desk and reads it over. "Right here—excursion in St. Lucia. Half hour performances tonight in the Cova Café and Ocean Bar."

Finn groans again. "Then _why are you up_?"

Smiling, Kurt walks over to the bed, and yanks the sheets away from Finn's head.

"Dude!" Finn drops an arm over his eyes.

"Because I'm happy. You hear that Finn?" Kurt pokes at his shoulder. "I'm happy, and I want you to be happy with me."

"I am so rethinking this stepbrother thing right now."

"No you're not. Come on. Let's go have breakfast."

Finn yanks the covers out of Kurt's hand and burrows himself under them once more. Shrugging, Kurt heads over to the closet to glance through his clothes and choose his outfit for the day. Considering that _Celebrity Today_ claims it's supposed to be warm and sunny, he settles on a pair of black and green plaid bondage shorts, white silk button down and black cardigan with his biker boots. Glancing over his accessories, he decides to wear the comedy and tragedy broach Carole bought him for Christmas.

It isn't until a half hour later when he's almost finished with his morning moisturizing and application of sun block that he remembers the Warblers…and the disastrous performance the night before.

"Oh, crap! Oh, crap!" Kurt knocks over half of his grooming products as he spins around in the tiny bathroom, yanking the door open and stumbling into the room where Finn is finally sitting in his bed attempting to wake up. "Oh, crap! Oh, crap!"

Kurt yanks on his boots, falling into the wall twice before he throws himself at the nightstand to grab his passcard, and yank his messenger bag from off the floor.

"Dude, what the-"

"Sorry, Finn, gotta go!"

"I thought we were going to breakfast?"

"I'll meet you there!" Kurt calls over his shoulder as he pulls the stateroom door open and hurries into the corridor.

Dammit. What was Wes' room number again? 5023? 5025? He's just down from Blaine's room, if Kurt remembers correctly. He rushes down the hall, glancing at each of the room numbers, nodding in response to each of the cleaning staff he passes who all want to say "Good morning" and apparently chat, but he _can't_ because he was monumentally irresponsible the night before and may have just ruined his chance to ever sing with the Warblers again.

Finally deciding that 5025 has to be the correct number, Kurt takes a deep breath, mentally composes the many apologies he is about to offer, and lifts his hand to knock.

The door is pulled open to reveal Blaine, and they stare at one another for a brief moment before they simultaneously say:

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Kurt flushes at Blaine's bright smile, and he's staring, he knows he is, but Blaine is wearing cargo shorts and a loose v-neck t-shirt, and his hair is all fluffy with curls, and he looks positively gorgeous. All reasons as to why Kurt is there have fled, along with some of his IQ because he's quite certain he's never quite been _this _ happy to see someone in his entire life. He's sure there are stars in his eyes, and probably a big stupid smile on his face, but he really doesn't care at the moment because Blaine is looking at him in very much the same way.

"I like this." Blaine reaches out and brushes his fingers over the broach. They linger ever-so-briefly on Kurt's chest before pulling back.

Kurt tries not to lean after his touch. "Thanks. Carole gave it to me for Christmas. She also-"

Someone clears their throat and that's when it hits Kurt why he's there and what he has to do. He pulls his gaze away from Blaine long enough to see Wes leaning against the other side of the threshold, arms folded over his chest, waiting.

"Wes. Umm, hi. I just wanted to say-"

The Warbler holds up his hand, interrupting Kurt's apology. "I'm going to say this just once, Kurt. If this ever happens again, you are _out_ of the Warblers. Understand? I told Blaine the exact same thing." He glances at the boy beside him and Blaine nods slightly. Wes continues, "I don't care what you two do outside the group—although, honestly it's about damn time you got your acts together-"

"Amen to that!" David calls out from inside the room.

"But if it ever again interferes with the Warblers-"

"It won't," Blaine tells him.

Kurt nods. "I'm really sorry, Wes. It was my fault. I promise, it won't happen again."

Wes sighs and pulls a face at both of them. He glances over his shoulder. "What do you think? Should I let them off for now or put them through some specially designed torture?"

"You could always force them to hang out with Jared for the day." David walks up to join the group at the door. "They might both end up in a trash can or their heads glued together or something."

"Actually, I should make them both go to Ramsey's room and apologize to him." Wes is frowning again. "Do you realize I had to make every excuse under the sun for you two last night? He flat out asked me who even let you guys in the group. I had to convince him that the early show had been great. Luckily, Steve backed me up. You guys seriously made us look _bad_, and you'd both better goddamn _shine_ tonight or I'll follow through with the Jared threat."

"Duly chastised, Wes," Blaine says. Kurt can't really think of anything to say because he currently feels about eight inches tall. Getting lectured by Wes is worse than getting lectured by his own father.

"Good. It won't be mentioned again." Wes finally smiles. "We've got an hour and half before we have to meet on the dock for the tour. Run along and be boyfriends or whatever the hell it is you are now."

David starts making shooing motions behind Blaine, pushing him out the door. "Go on. Be adorable. We know you want to!"

The door slams behind them.

"Sometimes I question their sanity." Blaine stares at the door.

"That actually seems to be a common theme among the Warblers."

They look at each other and smile. And it occurs to Kurt that Wes had just referred to them as boyfriends, and that means that Blaine must have told him at least some of their talk last night, and—

_Boyfriends_.

Kurt worries his lower lip for a moment as he gazes at Blaine, and the other boy looks like he knows Kurt wants to say something, so he just stands there, waiting ever-so-patiently. Kurt can't imagine there's anyone in the world luckier than him right now. He knows what he wants to ask but he doesn't know how to ask it—he doesn't want to sound like an idiot, after all, or too desperate. And he knows Blaine told him he pretty much has full control over where this thing between them is going, but the problem is he just doesn't know how! It's all so new and unbelievable, and he's still kind of coming to terms with it all being _right there_ and _available_ to him. Like, someone just handed him carte blanche to Marc Jacob's upcoming collection, and _of course he wants it_ and it's the greatest thing _ever, _but there's got to be a catch, right?

"What are you thinking about?" Blaine reaches out and presses his fingers against Kurt's forehead. "It's making you frown, and that'll cause premature wrinkles, you know."

Kurt laughs because Blaine is perfect and funny and can read him like a book. "Nothing. Sorry. Just… well, it's kind of what… Crap."

"Boyfriends?" Blaine asks, reading his mind again.

Nodding and flushing, Kurt drops his gaze for a moment so that he can hide his nervousness from Blaine. "Yeah."

"Do you _want_ to be boyfriends?"

Kurt's head snaps up. "Yes-" _Oh God, did he really have to respond that quickly_?

Blaine smiles, and wow, Kurt thinks he actually sees a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "Okay."

Okay.

_Okay_.

Kurt is certain he's forgotten how to breathe. His hands tighten around the strap of his messenger bag, and he tries to keep his smile to a minimum, tries not to start jumping up and down in place or throw his arms around Blaine or just pass out right there in the corridor. This happens every day, right? Teenagers become couples. Hell, his friends in New Directions pair up so often he's actually started keeping a PowerPoint chart just so he doesn't lose track. Just because he never thought it could happen to him doesn't make it any more special or noteworthy, right? It's stupid to feel this happy. It's ridiculous that if he allowed himself, he could totally cry right now.

_You're being ridiculous, Kurt_, he mentally chides himself. _It's not that big of a deal_.

Blaine steps closer to him and tilts his head and smiles in that little way of his that always causes Kurt to believe it is totally possible for a human being to go from a solid mass to liquid in seconds.

"It's okay to be excited, Kurt," Blaine says softly. "To be honest, I'm totally freaking out right myself..."

Kurt blinks. "You don't look much different than usual."

"I've got my game face on."

"Ah." Kurt nods, and thinks his boyfriend—_O.M.G_.—is a total dork.

"Want to grab breakfast?" Blaine asks as if this is just a normal day and not clearly the most spectacular—_wait, what day is it_?—Monday ever.

"Yeah. I promised Finn I'd meet him there. You know, after I groveled at Wes' feet and begged him not to kick me out of the Warblers, however deserving a punishment that might have been."

Blaine nods and turns and they start walking down the corridor toward the aft staircase. "It'll be all right. Wes gets that things happen—I mean, he may not act like it , but he's a teenager, too, and is prone to just as much drama as the rest of us. You should have seen him the last time his girlfriend dumped him. He broke two gavels."

Kurt can't help but laugh at the image.

As they walk, he finds himself slowly drifting a little closer toward Blaine, his fingers flex nervously and he shifts his hand out just a little more until his knuckles graze against the back of Blaine's hand. And then he feels Blaine's index finger brush along his own, and suddenly their hands slide together, fingers interlocking as they continue down the corridor. It's nothing and it's everything because it's so much more than it ever was before. Kurt can't contain his smile as they make their way up the stairs to deck ten, moving past other passengers. Blaine is always polite, greeting everyone they see with a "Good morning," and _they're holding hands_.

His _boyfriend_ is _holding_ his _hand_.

When they reach the Ocean Café, they briefly let go of one another to take a few drops of the offered hand sanitizer that crew around the ship are always insisting the passengers use.

"All this stuff does is dry out skin," Blaine mutters as he rubs it between his hands.

"I have lotion." Kurt pats his bag.

Blaine smiles. "My hero." And they mutually reach for one another's hands once more.

As they enter the buffet restaurant, Kurt looks around for Finn, and finally notices him sitting over by the windows with his dad and Carole. It hits him then that he needs to let his dad know about Blaine, and for a brief moment he considers just keeping it to himself , he can't ignore the fact that he always tries to be as honest as possible with his dad. Plus, the idea of pretending that things haven't changed between him and Blaine for the rest of the cruise—especially with his dad chaperoning during excursions and all—would be extremely stupid.

Plus, he just wants to tell him.

"Change your mind about eating?"

Blaine is smiling at him and Kurt realizes he's stopped in the middle of the restaurant. "Oh. No. Sorry. I just—my family is over there."

"Oh." And he really should have thought that explanation through because Blaine's face kind of falls for a moment, before he plasters that '_everything is fine'_ stoic expression back on and begins to tug his hand from Kurt's.

Kurt tightens his grip before Blaine can pull away. "No, no. I didn't mean that. I was just thinking about how much I _want_ to tell my dad about us."

"Really?"

Blaine looks at him in disbelief and it takes Kurt a moment before he gets it. He can tell his dad about them and he knows that while Burt Hummel may decide to play the role of overly protective father, he's still going to be okay with it. Kurt knows for a fact he won't be introduced to Blaine's father in the same manner any time soon.

"Really." He squeezes Blaine's hand before turning and tugging him up the ramp to the seating area.

Finn notices them first and waves, causing Burt and Carole to look up. Finn's gaze drops to their still clasped hands and before he gives Kurt a 'thumbs up.' It's enough to soothe Kurt's sudden nerves as he realizes his dad has noticed their hands as well and is staring pointedly at them.

"Good morning!" Kurt offers them a cheerful smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Hummel, Carole. Finn."

Kurt tries not to analyze the fact that his dad has yet to tell Blaine to call him Burt. He's never been one to stand on ceremony with the whole 'mister' thing, but he continues to let Blaine do it.

"Morning, you two." Carole's beaming at them both. "Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"Yeah." Kurt sets his messenger bag down on one of the empty chairs. "We'll just grab some food and be right back."

"Your dad was giving me a look," Blaine whispers as they walk toward the buffet lines.

"Well, you are a gay boy holding his gay son's hand. Of course, he's going to give you a _look_. It's entirely possible you'll get some kind of threat with a shotgun, too."

Blaine is silent for a long moment as they get in line and he hands a tray and wrapped utensils to Kurt. "Seriously?"

Kurt shrugs and glances through the crowd toward the table where his family is to see his dad and Carole talking. Whatever it is they're saying has Finn very interested. "I don't know, honestly. This is kind of new territory for both of us."

Blaine nods and they're both silent as they move through the line for their breakfast. Kurt sticks to mostly fruit and a croissant while Blaine goes for an omelet with pretty much everything and lots of bacon on the side. Kurt can't help but be amused by his friend's—_boyfriend's_ appetite. There's nothing about him that says he's capable of putting away a lot of food, and yet Kurt's seen him eat six pieces of pizza plus breadsticks and a salad at one sitting. Blaine has a spectacular metabolism, obviously, and is fairly hyper as well—he doesn't handle sitting still for too long. Kurt may tease him about the food he puts away, but Blaine's never in one place long enough for the calories to count.

When they get back to the table, the conversation is remarkably normal. They discuss the upcoming excursion—a four-hour tour of St. Lucia, ending with a lunch on one of the banana plantations. Carole spends time gushing over the performance last night. Blaine and Kurt share a quick look, both thankful that they didn't see the late performance, and Finn makes a comment about how he thinks it would be kind of cool to be in an all-guy group, and that sets Blaine off on an entire history of the Warblers. Kurt has heard most of it during Warbler practices but Blaine goes into a little more detail, with dates and names and little tidbits like the Warblers in the '40's and '50's who actually toured with the USO for the troops over the summers, and the Warblers of '67 who were invited to perform for Queen Elizabeth. Every time it seems he's done with his history lesson, Finn seems to ask another question, and Kurt begins to wonder when his stepbrother decided to co-op his boyfriend. Carole look fascinated with the stories. His dad just looks bored.

"We probably oughta be heading out," Burt says when Blaine pauses. "We're supposed to meet on the pier at nine fifteen."

"Are all of the Warblers going today?" Finn asks as they stand and gather their things.

"Yeah." Kurt nods, smiling his thanks at Blaine as the boy hands him his messenger bag. "And yes, Finn, that means plenty of other guys to talk sports with."

"We don't just talk sports." Finn rolls his eyes at Kurt as they head out of the restaurant. "There's girls and music and movies. Holden has all of the "Die Hard's" like, memorized and stuff. It's pretty cool. He can totally quote them."

"And he frequently does," Blaine mutters. Kurt laughs and leans in to bump their shoulders together.

When he looks up, he finds his dad still watching them. He gives a small smile but it isn't returned.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When they board the bus, Carole and Burt take the right side of the first row. Blaine starts to sit on the left but Kurt gives him a quick shake of the head because, really, he doesn't want to spend the first day with his boyfriend in direct view of his dad. Blaine gives a little nod and leads him just a few rows back, behind Kurt's parents. Finn seems to make the same decision, following his stepbrother and sitting down in the seat across from them where he's quickly joined by Holden.

Kurt leans over to Blaine. "I think that's turning into a full-blown bromance."

Blaine nods with a smile. "I feel bad for Brett. His brother seems to have forgotten he even exists."

The bus is a nice one; air-conditioned with large windows, plenty of room in the seats, and a nice sound system for the driver to speak to them through. His name is James, and he's a local with a mellifluous accent that he explains is a mixture of Creole and _patois_, a mixture of French and Spanish. He's a fountain of knowledge, immediately informing them how the port itself is actually a flooded volcanic crater that stretches for seven miles, covering the majority of the island. The volcano itself, Mt. Soufriere, is part of the tour, where they'll have the chance to walk right up to the sulfur springs. They will also visit the viewpoint at Marigot Bay, the Diamond waterfall, Soufriere Bay, the Pitons, and end with lunch on a plantation in Soufriere.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of chatter amongst the other sixteen boys, and Kurt has trouble paying attention to James and alternately listening to snippets of conversation around them. He knows that if it gets much worse, his dad will probably say something, so he tries to let it go for the moment. Staring out the window, he listens to James explain how the island was hit by a hurricane six weeks earlier, destroying ninety-five percent of their homes and the entire banana crop, and how they're still rebuilding. He goes on to say that the people here band together, helping one another rebuild their homes and businesses, and Kurt smiles at the thought.

"It's definitely a beautiful island," Blaine says quietly. Kurt hadn't realized how close he is, turning to find Blaine leaning into him, his face mere inches away, gazing out the window with him.

Kurt has to swallow once before he can respond with a simple, "Yeah," because he's staring at Blaine's ridiculously long eyelashes. Blaine shifts slightly against him, and their hands touch, fingers curling together discreetly between them. When he smiles, Kurt smiles back, and it feels wonderful how they're just both kind of stare at each other. Before today, Kurt always felt embarrassed when he thought Blaine had caught him staring, but the way Blaine is looking at him right now, his eyes just sweeping over Kurt's face like he's never seen it before and Kurt is fairly certain he'll always want to take his time to return the look. He's dating someone who looks like a cross between a young Marlon Brando and Cary Grant. He has a sudden urge to dress Blaine up in tailored suits, sports jackets and fedoras.

Their quiet moment is abruptly brought to an end when Kendrick leans forward between them. "I can see what's happenin'..."

"What?" Flint asks from beside him.

"And they don't have a clue!"

Blaine pulls back from Kurt and drops his head into his hands, moaning softly.

"Who?" Galen calls out.

"They'll fall in love, and here's the bottom line." Kendrick stands up and announces, "Our group is down by two!"

Kurt doesn't even mean to, uttering, "_Oh_," when he finally catches on. Blaine turns to look at him as if to ask, _Did you really just do that_? Kurt shrugs helplessly.

"Ze sweet caress of twilight," Kendrick begins to sing in a horrible fake French accent. "There's magic everywhere! And with all this romantic atmosphere… _Disaster's in the air_!"

"I honestly don't know why I remain in this group," Blaine mutters. Kurt starts giggling as half of the Warblers start singing, and the other half add in the background vocals, with Holden doing his ever-present beat box:

"_Can you feel the love tonight?  
The peace the evening brings  
The world, for once, in perfect harmony  
With all its living things_" 

David leans over from the row in front of Kurt and Blaine, and begins singing toward Kurt:

"_So many things to tell him  
But how to make Kurt see  
The truth about my past? Impossible!  
He'd turn away from me_" 

And then there's Galen, slipping out from his seat a few rows back, bending on one knee and laying his hand on the armrest of Blaine's seat:

"_He's holding back, he's hiding  
But what, I can't decide  
Why won't Blaine be the king I know he is  
The king I see inside_?" 

They all come together once more, singing:

"_Can you feel the love tonight?  
The peace the evening brings  
The world, for once, in perfect harmony  
With all its living things  
Can you feel the love tonight?  
You needn't look too far  
Stealing through the night's uncertainties  
Love is where they are_"

And then Kendrick is singing behind them again, sounding forlorn and sniffling for effect:

"_And if he falls in love tonight  
It can be assumed_…."

Flint responds:

"_His carefree days with us are history_!"

And together they finish in harmony to the applause and hoots of every boy on the bus, except Blaine and Kurt:

"_In short, our pal is doomed_!"

Kurt can no longer see over the seat in front of him as he's slid down between the chairs. Beside him, Blaine's head is still in his hands and he's muttering to himself, and Kurt tries to pretend he doesn't hear words like "kill, maim, destroy" come out of his boyfriend's mouth. Honestly, the whole performance would have been really funny and pretty damn charming in his opinion except for one little thing:

_His freakin' dad is on the bus with them_!

He can hear Finn laughing across the aisle and even hears Carole giggling up front, telling the boys how hilarious and adorable that was. Over the speaker, the bus driver asks, "Is this something you do regularly?"

To which he receives a resounding "Yes!" from the Warblers.

David is still leaning over the seat in front of them, grinning from ear to ear. He reaches out and pats Blaine on the shoulder. "So, yeah. Consider that payback for the hell you two put us through last night."

And yeah, what he says makes sense but still… Kurt gives David an angry look and points forward emphatically for a few moments until the council member seems to catch on. His eyes widen a bit as he glances over his shoulder, and then, "Oh. Heh. Yeah. Didn't think about that."

"And yet somehow you have a 4.0." Blaine finally raises his head to stare David back into his seat.

"Why don't you boys try giving James your undivided attention for the next few minutes?" Burt calls out, and Kurt hopes that's amusement he hears in his dad's voice. It's enough to get Kurt to sit back up, reaching over once more to take Blaine's hand in his.

The Warblers mumble their assent and a few apologies then grows quiet as James continues to tell them all about St. Lucia.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Their first stop is Marigot Bay, which is really just a viewpoint of Marigot Bay, but it's probably one of the prettiest places Kurt has ever looked at in his life. He and Blaine are leaning over the railing from the viewpoint post, which is mostly a tourist trap with two little stores set up beside each other selling baseball caps, t-shirts and coffee mugs displaying "St. Lucia". There's a little food stand as well, where James is describing some of the local products like banana ketchup and banana barbecue sauce. A couple of the Warblers are lined up for samples.

Blaine is kind of squinting as he stares at the view spread out before them of the little cove tucked among bright white beaches, crystal clear water and soaring palm trees. The intensity of his expression makes Kurt ask him what's going on.

"Everything about that spot down there looks familiar."

Kurt looks again but doesn't really see it. It's just pretty.

"No. No." Blaine's fingers tap against the railing a moment before he turns and starts scanning the crowd. Kurt's curiosity grows. "Hey, Flint!" He waves the Warblers over to him.

"What's up, buddy?" Flint claps him on the shoulder as Blaine waves toward the view.

"Why does that look familiar?"

Flint tilts his head slightly, staring at the cove for approximately ten seconds. "Pirates of the Caribbean"."

Blaine snaps his fingers. "That's it! I think they've used it on all three."

Shaking his head, wondering how he's found himself together with a movie geek, Kurt turns and looks for his dad and Carole, who he spies, walking toward them. He smiles as they approach. "Get a new hat, dad?" He points at the "St. Lucia" cap sitting on his dad's head.

"Figured I'd pick one up in every port and start a collection."

"Oh, what an amazing view!" Carole gazes at the cove below them. "Why don't I get a picture of you, Kurt, with the cove in the background? Blaine, honey? Get in there with Kurt."

Kurt bites his lip as Blaine slips up slightly behind him. They don't touch or anything, but Kurt thinks about the fact that this is his first photo with his boyfriend, and he knows that sucker is getting printed out and framed the moment he gets home. He looks up to find his dad standing behind Carole, arms crossed over his chest, watching the whole proceeding like a hawk watching his prey. Kurt tries not to let it bother him—he knows his dad just wants him to be safe and happy.

"Smile!" Carole tells them.

And they do.

And the picture probably would have been perfect if Flint hadn't been making rabbit ears behind them both.

Kurt's beginning to think that "kill, maim, destroy" is entirely appropriate in relation to the Warblers.

Their second stop is at the Diamond Waterfall, and as they exit the bus they are immediately swarmed by locals trying to sell them everything from cans of soda to necklaces. James explained on the bus that if one of the locals approached with an offer to take a photo with them, it was customary to give them a dollar for doing so. Kurt understood what he meant when they were immediately approached by some women in traditional dress, balancing enormous baskets filled with fruits and vegetables. Carole called Finn over to take a picture of her and his dad with the women, and they were handing out dollar bills to those around them.

Smiling, Kurt follows Blaine further into the little tourist area where Kendrick is talking excitedly to a man holding an adorable little monkey. "Dudes!" he says when he sees Blaine and Kurt. "You can totally get your picture taken with this monkey! Here—take mine!" He pulls out his cell phone and tosses it to Blaine.

Opening it, Blaine holds the phone up as the monkey's owner sets the creature on Kendrick's shoulder, and Kurt can't help but laugh at the expression of sheer delight on the boy's face as the monkey shuffles around a bit before placing its paws right on Kendrick's face.

"Her name is Jackie," the man holding her leash says.

As Blaine takes the picture, Jared walks past. "Cool, Kendrick. I didn't realize your mother lived here!"

"Excuse me." Kendrick shoos the monkey off his shoulder and tosses a dollar to her owner, before turning and racing after Jared.

"Boys." Kurt sighs. "Can't take them anywhere."

Blaine laughs and slips Kendrick's phone into his shorts' pocket. He starts down the winding path toward the waterfall and Kurt follows. They pass a man holding a leash attached to an iguana that is currently resting on Finn's arm as Carole takes a picture.

"Coolest thing ever!" Finn says when he sees them.

Up ahead they hear a screech, and then Jared letting out a string of curses. There's another screech and both Kurt and Blaine hang back as Burt heads down the path toward the noise. He disappears from sight and they glance at one another, trying to listen carefully as Carole and Finn join them, but they don't hear a thing. They continue down the path toward the waterfall and Kurt wonders if anyone else is thinking what he's thinking—did his dad just break their necks and be done with it? When they round the corner, Kendrick is rubbing his head, and Jared is rubbing his knee and they both look ashamed as Burt just stands over them, glaring.

"What's going on?" Carole asks as she steps beside her husband.

"Oh, I tried selling these boneheads to the locals, but they didn't want them."

"Oh, God, Burt." Carole tries to hide her laughter but doesn't really succeed.

Smirking, Blaine and Kurt move past the adults, crowding around Kendrick and Jared. Kurt looks questioningly at Kendrick as he continues to rub a spot on his head.

"He totally pulled my hair out! Look!" He holds out his other hand, displaying a fairly large chunk of straight black hair.

Kurt and Blaine stare at Jared. "What? He kicked me in the knee, the little rodent."

"We're totally going to get kicked off the island," Kurt comments. Blaine nods in agreement beside him.

Their next stop is the Mt. Soufriere volcano hot springs, which unfortunately is spewing sulfur so thickly into the air that Kurt actually gets a little dizzy when he exits the bus.

But worse still are the _fart jokes_. Kurt just covers his face with his hand as all the boys around them are accusing each other of farting. Blaine sighs beside him like he's suffering some great, eternal punishment, and Kurt loves him just a little more because his boyfriend would never stoop to such immature and classless jokes.

Until, of course, he says, "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!"

Holden, Finn, Brett and Byron all high-five him for the classic reference.

And Kurt is glaring when Blaine turns to him with a smile. "A "Star Wars" reference? _Really_? Do you know how 2002 that is?"

Blaine just laughs at him before he gets pulled into a "Star Wars" quoting contest with the others.

Moving as far away from the sulfur springs as he can without leaving the vicinity of the group, Kurt leans his back against the fence surrounding the area and watches as his boyfriend and stepbrother begin reciting a scene between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo word-for-word. For a moment, Kurt tries to imagine being with someone who didn't seem to automatically get along with everyone, someone without Blaine's impeccable manners or ability to zero-in on a person's interests and make them the focus of his attention. He honestly can't picture it, not after having met Blaine. He wouldn't settle for less.

"Hey, Kurt."

Bristling slightly at the familiar voice, Kurt glances over to find Nick standing beside him. "Nick," he acknowledges before turning once more in obvious dismissal.

"So I guess you and Blaine are an item now?"

Apparently, Nick doesn't know a dismissal when he sees one. Kurt turns back to him. "Yes. Do you have problem with that?"

"No."

Kurt blinks. "Oh. I…" He frowns and stares at the boy a moment. "Then why were you telling Blaine yesterday that I was just going to break his heart?"

Nick raises an eyebrow. "You heard that?"

Kurt nods.

"Wait, is that why the two of you were acting so stupid last night?"

Well, Kurt wouldn't use the word _stupid_… He doesn't even respond.

"Look, Kurt, I just…" Nick pauses as if trying to search for the right words. "Blaine's a great guy, and I was kind of an idiot when we first met, and I guess sometimes I get over-protective because he's kind of, well, oblivious when it comes to people. He tends to think everyone is as good-hearted as he is, and then when reality smacks him in the face, like it always tends to do; it leaves him kind of… I don't know. Less than himself, I guess." Nick shrugs.

Kurt can only feel confusion at the moment. He'd been preparing a whole speech in his head for how he wanted to tell Nick off, and here he finds out that Nick's honestly and completely looking out for Blaine's well-being. And, well, that makes Kurt kind of like Nick, like him enough to be completely honest with him.

"I'm not going to hurt him, Nick."

The Warbler looks at him in disbelief.

Kurt adds, "He's kind of… everything to me. Everything I never thought I'd have but always wanted."

Nick's expression changes ever-so-slightly, and nods. "Well… you seem like you're cool, Kurt. And I really like your parents. And Finn's cool, too. Truce?" He holds out his hand.

"Truce." Kurt takes his hand and shakes it. Feeling much better, he looks over his shoulder to see Blaine and Finn heading toward him. The group seems to be making their way back to the bus.

Kurt can hear Finn talking to Blaine. "…And I totally wouldn't want to but I'm kind of like his big brother now, so that makes it my duty. Or whatever. Just so you know. I wouldn't hit you too hard, or anything. I honestly don't like fighting but I'd kind of be expected to at least give you a black eye."

"Totally understandable." Blaine nods and flashes a smile in Kurt's direction.

Kurt stares after them incredulously. Beside him, Nick says, "On a happier note, _I _didn't threaten _you_ with bodily harm."


	9. Chapter 9

_Thank you again for all of your wonderful and kind reviews! I hope you enjoy this next chapter as it will have to tide you over for the next two days or so – I have been forsaking my graduate class to write this and I really need to focus and get some stuff done today and tomorrow. But I promise to have the next part up as soon as I can! My goal is to have this entire thing finished before the Superbowl episode airs – so cross your fingers for me!_

_Again, thank you so much. I really didn't expect this fic to receive such a warm reaction!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Finn, did you threaten to beat up Blaine?" Kurt asks as they exit the bus for lunch at the banana plantation.

"Oh, yeah. But he's totally cool with it. I mean, he gets I'd just be doing it as, like, my duty as your brother."

Kurt waves his hands in the air exasperatedly. "_I'm_ not cool with it!"

"Oh." Finn considers this for a moment, and then glances over his shoulder to where Blaine is following a little bit behind them, engaged in conversation with Braden. "Well, honestly, do you think I could actually _hit_ him? I mean, he's kind of a nice guy, and look at him—I think I'll break him if I look at him wrong!"

Kurt pulls a face. "He's not _that_ small."

"Dude, I think Rachel could take him."

"You are never again allowed to comment on the physical attributes of my boyfriend," Kurt says, and he can't help but smile at saying 'boyfriend'. "Especially when you compare him to Rachel."

Finn grins and rolls his eyes. "Whatever. It's kind of cute. He's like a hobbit or something."

Kurt stops and points in the direction they are headed. "Go. I don't want to talk to you anymore right now."

His stepbrother just laughs at him and continues on ahead. Kurt waits until Blaine catches up to him. Braden gives him a nod before he and Dean follow the group along the tiny dirt path surrounded by palm trees and flowering plumeria. He feels Blaine's fingers brush along the back of his hand, and he smiles at the touch, glancing over at the boy beside him.

On the bus ride to the plantation, James had begun talking a little more about the St. Lucian people. He described them as extremely devoted to religion, with more than ninety-five percent of their population identifying as Catholic. Shortly after his words, Blaine had pulled out his cell phone.

"Roaming charges," Kurt had teased with a whisper.

Blaine had nodded but kept typing on his qwerty keyboard. A few moments later, Blaine had quietly handed his phone over to Kurt, and he read through the displayed page:

_**St. Lucia**_

_Laws against homosexuality: Male only_

_Fine: 10 Years in prison_

_Laws against discrimination: No_.

He hadn't realized he was shaking until Blaine had reached out and taken his hand, taking his phone back and slipping it into his pocket, and continuing to hold Kurt's hand. Kurt had barely registered that Blaine's thumb was caressing his palm because all he could think about was _going_ to _prison_ because of _who he loved_. It made him think of the men on the island—_and why only the men, for crying out loud_!—who, like him, one day realized they were different but had to hide, had to bury it away, and would never know what it was to be happy.

He'd ended up holding Blaine's hand in a near vice grip until Blaine had leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry I can't hold your hand out there, but I promise that when I can, I won't let go."

Kurt had swallowed his tears and nodded, silently promising himself that he would never take something so simple and perfect—holding Blaine's hand—for granted.

That is why little moments like this—Blaine just allowing their hands to touch—continue to make this day the best day of his life, no matter how much the laws of St. Lucia have made it seem like so much less than paradise.

"I'm sorry about Finn and his ridiculousness," Kurt says after a moment as they follow the path and the group ahead of them.

Blaine waves a hand in dismissal. "I thought it was cute."

"He called you a hobbit."

"Wouldn't be the first time I've heard it," Blaine admits. "In fact, he just lost points for lack of originality."

Kurt laughs. "You're amazing. You know that, right?"

"Yep." Blaine flushes suddenly as he tries to pull off an air of arrogance, and then they both laugh and bump shoulders.

Up ahead, the path ends at a canopied deck set with tables, chairs, and a large buffet. As they enter, a man behind a counter offers them some local juice—orange or grapefruit. Kurt takes the grapefruit and Blaine takes the orange, and they make their way over to a table where Finn, Holden, Burt, and Carole are already seated.

"This juice is seriously good," Finn is saying, leaning around his mom to glance back at the counter. "Think they'd let me have seconds?"

"I'm sure they would. Go on and ask," Carole encourages. Finn bounds up and heads over to get more.

"Please help yourselves to the buffet," James tells them as he walks past, informing each table individually.

The boys don't need to be told twice. They jump up in a mad rush for the food, jostling each other out of the way to be the first in line. Blaine, ever the gentleman, steps in front of them and holds out his arm, blocking Jeff, who is first in line, from moving forward. "Carole?" He calls out, waving her forward. "Ladies first."

"Thank you, Blaine." Carole smiles as she steps up to the buffet.

Jeff mutters, "Brown-nose," and then, "Ow!" as Nick slaps him upside the head.

Lunch includes a wide array of local dishes including a fresh salad with a grapefruit based dressing, homemade bread, spicy rice, pasta, yam and taro that are mashed and baked into little flaky squares, barbecue chicken and pork, and rum cake for dessert. Of course, Kurt doesn't try all of it, but he loves the salad, and the rice, yam, and taro are very good as well. Finn and Holden each have three plates full before they are done, and Blaine goes back for two helpings of the rum cake. In fact, if Kurt is not mistaken, he thinks the three servers hovered over the now mostly empty buffet are marveling over the fact that they have run out of food.

"Is this an early sign of alcoholism?" Kurt teases as he watches his boyfriend finish off his second slice of the rum cake.

"If all alcohol comes in the form of cake? Yes."

Kurt files Blaine's love of cake away for the future.

Burt leans back in his chair, stretching slightly, and smiling over at Carole. "That was pretty good. And, I'm guessing it was all pretty healthy, too."

"As long as you don't have two pieces of rum cake," Kurt points out.

"Think I could use a walk," his dad says. His gaze settles on Kurt's boyfriend. "Blaine? Why don't you join me?"

Kurt feels his stomach drop out from under him. _Of course_ Blaine nods in agreement with a pleasant smile, and they both stand and make their way out of the enclosed space, following the path they had taken to get there. Kurt starts to get up but Carole reaches out for his arm and gently tugs him back into his seat.

"Relax, honey. It's just a talk."

"Yeah, and firearms weren't allowed on this trip," Finn offers helpfully. Or rather, not so much.

"Finn," Carole says in warning. She doesn't seem to find the comment any funnier than Kurt does.

Kurt fidgets anxiously in his chair and glances out beyond the deck, searching past the pastel painted restrooms and gift shop, but sees no sign of his dad and Blaine. What are they talking about? He wants to know. He thinks he should be allowed to know. His dad should have warned him he was going to do this. What if he says something to scare Blaine off? To make Blaine think that his relationship with Kurt isn't worth whatever threats he receives from Kurt's dad?

Kurt takes a breath. _No. Calm down_. His dad wouldn't do that to him, and neither would Blaine. They're just… talking. About whatever it is a mechanic from Lima, Ohio, and his gay son's boyfriend talk about.

Oh, he feels sick.

"So," Jeff says, appearing at their table with an excited smile. "We're all placing bets as to who the new lead soloist will be when Mr. Hummel kills Blaine. You want in?"

"You boys are horrible," Carole says as she shakes her head, but she's smiling.

"I'm totally in," Holden replies. "How much? And my money's on Kurt."

Okay, that's kind of nice of him to say but, "Guys!" Kurt says in exasperation. "Really? A little compassion, please?"

Kendrick comes over and pats Kurt on the shoulder consolingly. "You're right, Kurt. I mean, we all really like Blaine. So I think we should all take this moment to make a promise to Kurt that we'll raise whatever money it takes to erect a proper memorial back at Dalton in Blaine's honor."

Kurt's never actually hit anybody before, but Kendrick is smaller than him, and he finds himself considering it for the moment.

Apparently, Kendrick senses this from the way Kurt tenses up, and he leans over to tell him, "You know I'm totally joking, right? The Warblers wouldn't be the same without Blaine. And I figure since we still have to win Regionals, the universe wouldn't be quite so cruel as to take Blaine from us now. So your dad isn't trying to kill him. He might be beating him up a little,but as long as he doesn't hit him in the throat or anything…"

Kurt decides Kendrick has the weirdest logic in the entire world. Also, he isn't helping.

"Everyone with my group!" James calls out. "Back to the bus. Time to get you to the ship."

Now Kurt starts panicking a little more because it's time to leave and he still hasn't seen a single sign of Blaine and his dad. He follows Carole down the path, gaze scanning the entire area. Carole glances over and gives him a supportive smile, which kind of helps actually because he's sure she and his dad discussed Blaine. If she doesn't feel there is any reason to worry, then maybe there isn't. Still, he just wants to reassure himself.

It's not even so much that this is his first boyfriend or that it's Blaine or anything like that. This is new for both Kurt and his dad, and Kurt is having enough trouble coming to terms with the idea that everything he's ever wanted is finally there in front of him. If he really thinks about it, he's fairly certain his dad is having his own trouble coming to terms on his own side of things. More than just Kurt dating, or even that Kurt is dating a boy, there's the fact that there is someone new in Kurt' life. They just added two people to their lives with Carole and Finn and now there's Blaine, who's important to Kurt—so unbelievably, undeniably important—and Kurt doesn't doubt that his dad can see that.

As they step out of the copse of palm trees into the clearing that is used as a parking lot, Kurt finally sees his dad and Blaine standing near the bus. Blaine is saying something, and Burt actually laughs and reaches out to place his hand on Blaine's shoulder. Kurt stops and just watches as his dad says something, and Blaine nods and smiles, and then Burt pats his shoulder once before letting go. They both glance over towards the group and Kurt starts forward once more, making a beeline straight to his boyfriend who greets him with a smile as he approaches.

"Everything okay?" he whispers as everyone else begins to climb into the bus. "I'm so sorry he ambushed you like that!"

Blaine shrugs, and glances over Kurt's shoulder toward the bus. "It's fine, Kurt. Your dad's… a good person."

Immediately Kurt thinks of Blaine's dad, and he wants to say something comforting but he can't think of anything. So he tries to lighten the mood instead. "The guys were taking bets on the next soloist when my dad killed you."

It works. Blaine laughs. "Oh? Who was winning?"

"Actually, it sounds like I was." He turns and they both make their way up in to the bus.

"They may be obnoxious," Blaine says, loud enough to be heard by the others on the bus as he follows Kurt down the aisle toward their seats. "But they know a good vocalist when they hear one."

"Hence why we're eager to replace _you_," Flint calls out.

As Blaine turns to glare at the boy, Kurt can't help but lean over and remark, "Yeah, so you may be cute, but you totally walked into that one."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Once Kurt makes it through security back at the ship, Blaine takes his hand, and they follow the rest of the group to the elevators. They still have a few hours before they need to get back into their uniforms for their two short performances that evening, so they all decide to meet up on the pool deck.

As they step into the elevator, Blaine tugs Kurt close, grinning as he teases, "Sure you're up for being out at the pool again? You might get some sun."

Kurt slaps his shoulder, rolling his eyes. "Baby steps. I'm in shorts. Be grateful."

Blaine laughs and pulls him a little closer so that their sides are pressed together. When the elevator reaches deck five and they step out, Kurt feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to find his dad behind him.

"Hey, kid, why don't you stop by our room before you head up to the pool?"

Kurt's gaze moves to Blaine who squeezes his hand and gives him a smile. "I'll meet you up there," he says, before pulling away and following Holden down the hall. Kurt hates that they already have to part, but he looks back at his dad and nods. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few."

He's quiet as he and Finn return to their room. Finn changes into his swim trunks in the bathroom while Kurt digs around in the closet for the umbrella he had tossed in there the other day. When Finn comes out, he tosses his clothes haphazardly on his bed, and looks over at his stepbrother who is still fiddling with the umbrella, dreading the coming talk with his dad.

"I'm sure it's gonna be okay," Finn says, obviously realizing why Kurt's so quiet. "I mean, Blaine survived it, right? And your dad loves you so I wouldn't worry too much."

"Thanks, Finn."

Finn shrugs. "Well, I'm gonna stop by and get my mom and head up to the pool. Good luck!"

Good luck. The words sound like a death knell.

Kurt continues to stall, fixing his hair in the mirror—adding hairspray, fixing it again, and adding more hairspray—and liberally and slowly applying sunblock to his face, neck, and the fraction of his legs showing between his shorts and boots. Then he picks up the room a little, throwing Finn's dirty clothing into one of the laundry bags and arranging their collection of _Celebrity Today'_s by date on the desk. He finally realizes he has nothing left to do.

He grabs his messenger bag and the umbrella and heads out of the room, making his way down the corridor to where his parents' room is located. He knocks and it's only moments before his dad is pulling the door open and inviting him in.

"Finn and Carole already headed up to the pool," his dad says, moving to sit on the bed.

Kurt nods in acknowledgment, shifting from one foot to the other as he clings to the strap of his messenger bag.

His dad pats the mattress. "Sit down, Kurt."

Even as Kurt moves to take a seat on the bed beside his dad, he begins explaining, "Dad, I know I should have told you but it just kind of happened last night. One moment I'm all angry at Blaine because of a misunderstanding the next thing I know he's telling me he feels the same way I do, and it was the most amazing moment of my life. And I really meant to tell you but—"

"Slow down." His dad sets his hand on Kurt's shoulder and gives it a slight squeeze. "I don't care about that. It's not as if you were trying to hide it from me or anything. You made it pretty clear at breakfast this morning that you weren't just…friends anymore."

Kurt drops his gaze to his lap. "We were holding hands," he says softly. "We walked through the ship, just holding hands. I didn't want to let go."

"Yeah, well… remember when I said a few months back that you'd have to go it alone until you found someone as open and brave as you? Guess you found him, huh?"

Smiling a little, Kurt nods. "Yeah. I have." He worries his lower lip for a moment, considering just how honest with his dad he wants to be, and finally finds himself admitting, "I…I love him."

He's waiting to hear his dad say he's too young to know what love is, or that this is his first boyfriend so slow down, or they haven't even been dating for a day so how does he know what he's feeling, but Burt says none of these things. He just nods and continues to watch Kurt, as if waiting to see if he wants to say anything else. It gives him the courage to open up.

"He makes me feel… special. Like when he looks at me, he's thinking there's no one in the world like me. He always seems to say the right things. And he knows when I'm upset or when I just want to be left alone. Today," Kurt smiles as he says, "was one of the happiest days of my life."

"D'ya think I haven't noticed how you've been since you met him?" His dad asks. "I admit I was starting to get a little annoyed hearing Blaine this and Blaine that for the last couple of months." Kurt flushes, not having realized he's been that bad. "Gotta admit, I was kind of expectin' him to be some incredibly obnoxious punk kid from the way you went on about him like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread."

Kurt looks up at his dad worriedly. _Oh no, is that what he thinks about Blaine_?

"But he seems like a good kid." Burt shrugs. "Good head on his shoulders. Mature for his age, which I guess makes sense with what you've said about his parents." He pauses, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. "Seems to think the world of you."

Kurt's fairly certain his heart just stopped. "Did… did he say that?"

His dad nods. "More or less. Seemed sincere enough. Could barely get him to stop talking once he started in on how talented you are."

Kurt's smiling like an idiot and he knows it.

"Guess what I want to say, kid, is I like Blaine, and I'm happy for you."

It hadn't occurred to Kurt until that moment that he'd been holding his breath, waiting to find out what his dad's opinion would be. He loves Blaine, and even if his dad had been against their relationship for whatever reason, he would have fought to make it work. It would have been difficult because his dad is pretty much everything in the world to him, and he couldn't even imagine putting distance between them. It scared him, the idea of losing one person he loves to hold on to the other.

"Thanks, Dad." He moves to hug him when he realizes the way his dad is looking at him means there's something else he wants to say. Kurt straightens his posture and meets his dad's gaze. "You're happy for me, but…?"

"But, I'm worried about you."

Kurt frowns. "Blaine isn't going to hurt—"

"It's not about Blaine. I honestly don't think he's capable of purposely hurting you. I could be wrong but he just doesn't seem the type so far." Burt sighs, pausing as if he isn't quite certain how to broach the discussion. "Everything you've had to deal with these last few years—the slushies, fighting to sing the songs you want to sing, to be allowed to be the person you are, the shoving, the… threats—" His dad breaks off, hand curling into a fist over his lap and Kurt reaches his hand out to take it, to force his dad to relax.

After a moment, Burt seems a little more in control of his emotion. "All of that, I need you to understand, is going to be nothing compared to what you and Blaine are going to have to face when people realize you're together. It's going to get ugly, Kurt. And I'm so glad you're at Dalton, so grateful to see those boys today accepting and supporting the two of you—but the rest of Ohio ain't like that, Kurt, and I gotta admit, I'm scared for the both of you."

Kurt looks away, the happiness he's been feeling falling away almost instantaneously.. He hasn't even thought about what will happen when they're back in Ohio; he's been too focused on here and now and the thrill of Blaine returning his feelings. He wonders if his dad knows about the laws on St. Lucia, and finds himself growing fearful of the laws on the other islands. How fair is it that he and Blaine aren't allowed to walk around these beautiful islands holding hands? That he's actually afraid to show his boyfriend affection for fear of the horrible things that could happen to them?

"You're one of the strongest people I've ever known, Kurt," his dad continues. "Mentally and emotionally. But against people like that Karofsky kid? There's only so much you can do. And there are others like him out there, Kurt. However hateful and ignorant it is, they won't want to see you and Blaine holding hands or going on dates together or being happy. And some of them may want to hurt you for it.

"You're outspoken, Kurt, and you're not afraid to show who you are, and I love every bit of that in you but those traits scare some people. And Blaine? That kid's even tinier than you, and I suspect his manners and bizarre need to be everyone's friend is part of his means of defense. But most bullies don't respond well to that. They'll see it as him thinkin' he's better than them. And the two of you, walkin' down the street, holdin' hands? They're not gonna like it, Kurt, and they're not gonna accept it."

Kurt lets the anger and frustration take over. He jumps up from the bed and moves around the small space, wishing he could just hit something. "So, what? Now that I finally have the chance to hold the hand of the boy I love, you're telling me I'm not supposed to?"

"I didn't say that," his dad replies. "I'd never say that. But I want you to be fully aware of what you've gotta deal with. I know right now all that you can think about is finally having what all of the other kids and your friends have, but it ain't that simple and you know it. What matters to me are your safety and your happiness."

Kurt crosses his arms over his chest, refusing to meet his dad's gaze. No matter what he says he's trying to tell him, it still sounds like he and Blaine aren't allowed to let anyone know that they're a couple. It hurts, and it makes him angry, and it's horrible but for the briefest of seconds, he wonders if it's even worth it at this point.

Then he hates himself for even thinking that.

"Everything you're saying makes me think you are completely against my relationship with Blaine—or any guy for that matter." Kurt knows he sounds sullen. He doesn't care.

His dad sighs. "C'mere and sit down."

Kurt stares at the bed for a moment before sighing loudly and moving over to drop down once more beside his dad.

"Look at me."

Kurt does.

"I would _never_ take this chance away from you," Burt says quietly, intently. "Any idiot could see how happy you've been today; how happy you both seem to be. But I know you—the moment something happens to interrupt that happiness, you'll take it on like some cross you have to bear. And I don't doubt Blaine reacts the same." He reaches out and places his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "But I need you to promise me that the two of you won't try to be martyrs for gay teens everywhere. I told Blaine this today, and now I'm telling you. Whatever you may feel, the two of you do not have to go through this alone. If something happens, you tell me, you tell Carole, Finn—the point is we're here. We're here for you, and we're for Blaine, and we want to support you and keep you safe. Just promise me you'll always be honest with me, and come to me if there's ever a problem."

Whatever it is Kurt had been expecting, it isn't this. He gazes at his dad in silence for a long moment, unable to speak. His throat hurts and his eyes burn, and when his dad offers him an encouraging smile, he lets his tears fall. "I promise, Dad."

Burt nods and pulls him in to a hug. Kurt closes his eyes and just clings to the most amazing man he knows. He should be scared right now, with all of the warnings his dad has forced him to consider about what could be waiting for him and Blaine, but oddly, it's comfort he's feeling. Yes, he knows he's strong, and yes, he believes that he and Blaine can face pretty much anything together, but it's nice to know they don't have to. To know that there are some people out there in the world looking out for them, loving them and supporting them their right to love each other.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When Kurt and his dad reach the pool deck, they find most of the Warblers crowded around one of the four hot tubs. A few of the others are sitting in the lounges under the covered area surrounding deck ten, talking to Carole. Kurt follows his dad over to find an empty lounge where he deposits his bag, considers the umbrella for a moment, and then decides he can forego it for at least a short while and makes his way over to the hot tub. Blaine is sitting on the edge of it, legs only dangling in the warm water, and he scoots over as Kurt approaches to make room. Kurt sits sidewise on the outside of the hot tub, and when he sets his hand down, Blaine quickly covers it with his own.

"How'd it go?" he asks softly.

Kurt just shrugs, not really wanting to talk about it. He's so torn between being reassured by what his dad said to him and being terrified of what could happen that he isn't quite certain what he's feeling at the moment.

"Do you want to go somewhere and talk about it?"

Blaine's gentle concern has the greatest calming effect ever. It's enough to get Kurt to offer him a smile as he shakes his head. "Not right now, no."

He turns his hand palm side up and their fingers intertwine. Kurt glances at the group around them, but the other Warblers aren't paying the couple any attention, too busy arguing over song ideas for Regionals. Apparently, Kendrick thinks they really need to do _Raise Your Glass_, and Flint is all for _Party in the USA_, but Holden and Dean want to sing _Baby Got Back_. Kurt can't help but be amused because Finn is listening to it all with wide-eyed wonder, as if he might somehow be gleaning important information to take back to New Directions. Little does he know that Wes and David, both of whom are remaining quiet throughout the discussion, probably already have their minds made up, and more than likely none of the suggestions being passionately argued for are even in the running. Blaine seems as amused by it as he is until Flint makes a comment that Blaine's vocals would be all wrong for _Baby Got Back_, and then Blaine dives right into the conversation, arguing his own abilities to carry that song.

Kurt's a little horrified over his boyfriend's insistence and allows his mind to wander elsewhere, instead of dwelling on the fact that his boyfriend has terrible taste in music. Namely to the fact that he's sitting next to his boyfriend, who is wearing nothing more than swim trunks, and _oh_, he'd still been so focused on his discussion with his dad that he _hadn't really noticed_. Now it hits him—he's sitting there next to his barely-dressed boyfriend, and they're holding hands, and if he wants to, he can just reach out and touch Blaine. He could offer to put more sun block on him, or just lean his head on his bare shoulder, or…

Realizing his breath has become a little shallow, Kurt forces himself to look away and collect himself. After all, it's not like he's actually going to do it. He hasn't even found the courage to kiss Blaine yet, let alone just randomly reach out and begin pawing at him. Of course, that thought just draws his gaze back to Blaine and he finds himself imagining pawing at him, sliding his hands over his shoulders and down his chest, finding out if Blaine is ticklish—and no, he didn't just stare at the line of dark hair extending from Blaine's belly button beneath his swim trunks.

"Something wrong, Kurt?"

He looks up to find Blaine watching him with concern, and that's when he realizes he's squeezing Blaine's hand really tight. He eases up a little but instead of thanking him, Blaine tugs on his hand, wanting him to move closer. Kurt takes a breath and does so, scooting closer so that their shoulders and thighs are touching. His heart is racing just a little bit.

Blaine slides their still linked hands over on to Kurt's lap, resting them there so that he is half embracing Kurt, and he leans in to whisper into his ear, "I'd like to think my boyfriend would want to sit closer to me."

Kurt's face flames at the words and the deep tone of Blaine's voice. Is this what flirting as a couple is like? What is he supposed to say? Does he have to say anything? It's still so difficult to process. He has someone who wants to be near him, who wants to touch him, who flirts with him and whispers in his ear and… well, there's also the fact that Blaine is _really_ nice to look at.

When Kurt doesn't respond, Blaine returns to the conversation with the others—none of whom have made a single inappropriate comment or teased them—and Kurt tries to take the time to calm his racing heart. He can't help but lift his gaze to look around, wondering what people are thinking. He catches a few eyes cast in their direction, older people mostly, but they quickly look away when they realize he sees them. No one has said anything. There aren't any scowls or slurs. He lets out a breath and inches a little closer to the boy beside him, and then he just rests his head on Blaine's shoulder.

Blaine squeezes his hand in response.

It's perfect. He listens to the hum of the hot tub and the bubbling water, the boys teasing each other about who could pull off Pink and who would be absolutely horrible (they've all decided Blaine has to sing Pink, whether the council wants it or not), and the Latin music coming through the speakers around the deck. It's warm, and Blaine feels solid and comfortable beside him, so Kurt closes his eyes and tries to forget about the things that are bothering him. He wants to remember this moment—file it away for those times his dad warned him about.

"Can I get you anything?" Blaine says quietly against his hair after a while. "I'm in the mood for some fries."

"You just ate like two hours ago."

"I'm a teenage boy. I need food."

"At least you didn't refer to yourself as a growing teenage boy."

There's a beat, then, "A crack like that is just enough to get you tossed in the hot tub, Hummel."

"Do it and die. Not kidding. This sweater is Logen Dager. I would so kill you."

Blaine laughs and Kurt loves the feel of his body shaking beneath his cheek. "No, but seriously, do you want anything? Fruit? Something to drink?"

Realizing he is going to have to give up his comfortable spot, Kurt sits up with a sigh and nods. He finds himself touching Blaine's arm, just running his free hand down the length of it, smiling when goose pimples appear over the skin beneath his fingers. He hears Blaine's breath hitch slightly, and Kurt can't help but love that he is able to do such a thing to him.

"Now I don't know if I can get up," Blaine mutters.

Kurt feels his cheeks warm with his blush, and really? He could do that to Blaine just by touching him? The realization is both wonderful and terrifying. He pulls away slightly, releasing Blaine's hand. "Water," he says, not looking at his boyfriend. "Water is fine."

Blaine seems to understand because he doesn't ask him what is wrong. He sits there a moment longer before swinging his legs out of the water and over the side of the hot tub, jumping down to the deck. Before walking away, he places his hands on Kurt's thighs, forcing him to look up as Blaine leans in close.

"I'll be right back," he says with a smile.

Kurt feels the urge to kiss him suddenly, but then Blaine is pulling away and moving across the deck toward the outside bar and buffet. A few seconds later, Kendrick and Finn bound after him.

_I almost kissed him_, Kurt thinks. If Blaine hadn't left when he did, Kurt knows he would have kissed him. Then and there, in front of everyone, and that isn't how he'd pictured it in his head. Still, there had been something in the moment, something about how close he'd been standing, his hands on Kurt's legs, and the quiet time just sitting together that they'd shared. It hadn't been a desperate urge; more like something that simply fit. A perfect moment in time when he'd felt the need to express his affection to Blaine.

_I can do this_, he thinks, gazing across the deck to where Blaine and Kendrick look positively ridiculous dwarfed as they are by Finn. His stepbrother and Kendrick are goofing off, fighting to get to the burgers first, while Blaine just looks amused by the both of them. _I'm going to kiss him_, Kurt thinks as Blaine fills a plate full of fries. Finn snatches the burger that Kendrick just grabbed from off of his plate and moves on in line as Kendrick calls him a few unflattering names. He watches as Blaine and Finn tussle momentarily over who gets to use the ketchup first—Finn ends up holding Blaine aside with one arm stretched out, and Blaine just looks really annoyed. Kurt thinks:

_Tonight I am going to kiss my boyfriend_.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

There's an odd vibrating undercurrent to the Warblers tonight; Kurt can't help but wonder if it can be attributed to the need to get it right this time, to make it better than last night. He doesn't want to think so much of this new relationship with Blaine to imagine that somehow their happiness with one another is wending its way through the others, but then again, it's totally a possibility. When Blaine gets up there and sings, Kurt can't help but beam the entire time. _That's my boyfriend!_ He wants to shout to everyone. _That's my amazing, gorgeous, talented, ridiculously charming boyfriend! Go ahead and be jealous because you should be!_ When Blaine steps back to allow Nick to take his position for the lead on _White Christmas_, they smile at one another and Kurt knows he probably looks ridiculous all over again, beaming like an idiot as he stands next to his boyfriend.

The applause at the end of the song is enthusiastic, and as Kendrick starts to take his position for _Frosty the Snowman_, a girl's voice calls out from one of the tables:

"Sing _Baby Its Cold Outside_!"

Others call out in agreement.

"Huh. They must have missed the late performance," David remarks as Blaine glances over at Wes in question.

Wes shrugs and motions him forward.

Stepping out in front, Blaine looks back at Kurt, and Kurt gives him a big smile before moving up to stand with him. As the group begins the harmony, Blaine waves his hand toward Kurt to begin.

The song is different this time, better, and Kurt can't imagine how that is, it just _is_. They weave in and out of the small tables where passengers are gathered. When Blaine catches his hands and pulls him back, the embraces are real, the need is real. Kurt can tell, just by his own tone in his singing that this time, he's only saying no to tease his boyfriend, to flirt with him—he means yes. He totally would rather stay inside with Blaine where it's warm than go out in the snow. He kind of loves seeing Blaine chase after him, though, begging and pleading and really just showing how much he wants him.

Even the audience seems to have fun with it, laughing and encouraging either Blaine's pursuit or Kurt's quick get-away. There are a few people who get up and leave, but Kurt doesn't need to worry about that—not when he is singing a flirtatious duet with his boyfriend on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean, and most of the people around them are having a blast. This is what matters, he thinks as Blaine finally catches him, snatches his hand, and this time, Kurt doesn't fight as he pulls him near and exclaims, "_Get over that hold out_!"

"_Ahh, but it's cold outside!_"

The applause is as thunderous as it was for the early show the night before, and a fraction of the crowd is present. Kurt figures it's because most of them have been drinking. He and Blaine smile and take their bows, then step back in line so that Kendrick can sing _Frosty the Snowman_. Kurt thinks he could get used to singing duets with his boyfriend on a nightly basis, and plans on making certain it happens, even if it's just for the two of them. He wants to sing with Blaine more often.

Once the set is over, the Warblers congregate around the bar for coffee. Mr. Price shows up, looking like he got far too much sun that day, and lays his hands on Blaine and Kurt's shoulders.

"Excellent performance, guys. The passengers are buzzing about you. Ramsey isn't around, and I doubt he'll show up at the Ocean Bar—he's more than likely in the casino. But hopefully word will get back to him."

They both thank him, and the adviser watches them for a moment before saying, "You're both incredibly talented. Hopefully the council means to take advantage of that fact at Regionals."

Blaine shrugs. "That'll be up to them, sir. Whatever is best for the group."

Kurt literally has to close his eyes in order not to roll them at his boyfriend. It's one thing to be humble; it's quite another to be stupid. While winning Regionals might leave Kurt feeling some guilt over taking that away from New Directions, he knows that the two of them would kill the competition if they sang a duet together for it. Something like _Somewhere Out There_ or _Come What May _or_ Knew You Were Waiting for Me._ As much as he is looking forward to singing another duet in the next few days with Blaine, he can't help but feel like _Nobody Wants to be Lonely_ is all wrong for them.

Their next performance outside on the aft deck at the Ocean Bar goes just as well as the first. Maybe better because these people are even drunker. Half the crowd is made up of twenty-something Canadians who keep tossing back shots and beer and seem to want to get up and dance to every song—Christmas music or no. Wes encourages them to sing _Baby It's Cold Outside_ again, and Kurt swears that during one pass around a table of onlookers, someone grabs his ass. Maybe he imagined it, or maybe it was an accident. Whatever it was, he danced away quickly to get back to the Warblers.

Afterwards, they spend a good half hour shaking hands with passengers and answering questions as they come up to meet the boys. They offer to buy them drinks, and of course Holden and Jared and even Galen are quick to accept—luckily, Mr. Price is standing behind them and promptly reminds them about write-ups.

"Time to head to dinner, guys," their adviser calls out, and they thank everyone again as they make their way through the small crowd and back through the Ocean Café to head down to the dining hall.

When they arrive at their tables for dinner, Kurt's family is already there, waving to them as they approach. At the table, Blaine pulls the chair beside Burt out, and then steps back and waves his hand to Kurt. It's silly and cheesy and horribly romantic, but Kurt can't help but feel a little like he needs to be pinched as he slides into the offered seat. Blaine sits down beside him, already engaged in conversation with his dad, telling him about the two performances, and making incredibly witty and charming comments about the Canadians.

_How are you even real_? Kurt wonders as he stares at his boyfriend until Francisco hands him his menu.

Blaine orders escargot as an appetizer—escargot!—and Finn kind of freaks out over the idea of snails. Then Holden, Brett and Jeff all over the escargot as well, and Finn is left questioning each of them as to why, and how, and really? When Blaine orders the filet mignon, and asks for it rare, Kurt panics a little over the idea of his boyfriend being a red-meat eating carnivore until Blaine explains that on a cruise ship, "If you want medium, you order rare, and if you want well-done, you order medium. And well, if you want shoe leather, go ahead and order it well-done."

Kurt isn't entirely certain if he should believe that or not. He orders the lobster ravioli.

When the appetizers arrive, Kurt watches in fascination as Blaine pulls one of the snails out of the little cup of garlic butter and eats it. He's always wanted to try the dish, but never had the opportunity. "What's it like?"

"Umm, garlic and butter," Blaine says with a shrug. "It doesn't really have much of a taste. Here. Try it." He stabs one with his fork and holds it up to Kurt.

"Dude, are you really gonna eat that?" Finn asks from the other side of the table.

Honestly, even if he had never wanted to try it, with the way Blaine is looking at him, offering his food on his fork, and just waiting patiently for Kurt to take it… well, even if it were a rare bite of steak, he'd do it. He leans in and slips his mouth around the fork, and wow, Blaine wasn't kidding about the garlic. Pulling back, he chews, a little more quickly than usual because the texture is odd, and a little like rubber, but it does taste just like he said—garlic and butter.

"Not bad. A little chewy, though. It's also a little rough getting past the fact that it's a _snail_."

Blaine smiles at him like he's the most perfect person in the entire world for even trying it.

Blaine is also proven right when his steak arrives and it isn't even a little bit red. Kurt can spy just a hint of pink in the very center, but that's it. Even Holden admits, "I learned my lesson the first cruise our parents took Brett and I on. I ordered it medium—could have used it for a hockey puck."

The conversation is relaxed and fun. His dad and Carole end up asking the boys what they liked best about the excursion. Somewhere between their entrees and dessert, Kurt and Blaine have joined hands under the table, just holding on to each other, and occasionally engaging in a thumb war. Kurt doesn't order a dessert, but Blaine insists he at least try a bite of his warm chocolate volcano—and there is no way Kurt can keep a straight face when he says it. He doesn't even care that his parents and the other Warblers are there. The line is meant for teasing.

"I can't believe you offered me a bite of your warm chocolate volcano!"

Blaine actually blushes, and looks completely uncomfortable as Burt sighs heavily and takes a big swallow of his single glass of red wine. Loving Blaine just a little bit more for being at once adorable and embarrassed, Kurt leans in and tells him he would love to try a bite, and Blaine looks like he just might refuse before scooping some on to his spoon and holding it out to Kurt.

He decides then and there that he really likes being fed by his boyfriend.

When dinner ends, they all mill around the two tables between them for a few minutes, talking about the excursion tomorrow and the fact that they need to begin rehearsing their next set of music. Kurt takes Blaine's hand and is rewarded with a smile as Burt and Carole stop beside them to say they are heading back to their stateroom. He hugs them both with one arm, refusing to let go of his boyfriend, and wishes them a goodnight.

"So what now?" Blaine asks, gazing at Kurt in a way that makes his toes curl.

"Um." Kurt glances around. "We could maybe go for a walk? I mean, if you want."

"That sounds great."

Blaine lets go of Kurt's hand then, causing momentary confusion, until he holds his arm out to him. It takes Kurt a moment to realize what he's supposed to do—or maybe he just can't believe it—and finally he slips his own through it, hand curling around Blaine's bicep. His boyfriend's resulting smile is probably the most beautiful thing in the world at that moment as he guides him toward the restaurant exit, where they both stop to accept some offered mints from the maître'd, and continue on toward the stairs and the doors leading outside.

They walk quietly along the deck and Blaine squeezes the arm tucked in his, looking over to give Kurt another smile as he squeezes back. "Had a good day?" he asks after a few minutes.

Kurt nods and smiles. "Mostly, yes. I mean, there were some things…" He trails off and doesn't really want to get into that conversation at the moment, so he makes a joke instead. "Like when I thought my first ever boyfriend was being murdered by my dad."

Blaine laughs. "I admit to being a little nervous at first—I've never actually had someone's dad want to talk to me before. But it was fine. Your dad really loves you, Kurt."

"I know." Kurt reaches up and plucks at Blaine's sleeve on the arm his own is curled around. "I'm not certain what I'd do without him." More bad thoughts. He pushes them aside and smiles as he says, "He likes you, you know. He told me so."

"Well, that's helpful." Blaine glances over at him. "I'm sorry to say you won't be meeting my family any time soon."

Kurt shakes his head. "I don't want to. Except for Jameson; I think I'd like him."

Blaine smiles but doesn't respond.

They stop toward the bow of the ship, and Kurt slips his arm out from Blaine's as they both lean against the railing, shoulders touching. The moon is hidden, and the view beyond the ship is little more than darkness. The lights of another cruise ship can be seen a couple miles away on the horizon. Kurt wonders fancifully if there is someone like him onboard that ship, experiencing love and the feeling of being wanted for the first time.

He glances at the boy beside him and can't help but stare. Blaine's eyes are darker here, without a light to reflect the greens and golds hidden in the amber. He's studied Blaine's eyes a lot since they met. People always carry on about how blue eyes are perfect and most desired, but Kurt's decided that truly isn't the case. He'll take whatever color Blaine's eyes are over any other ever.

"What are you staring at? Do I have warm chocolate volcano on my face?"

Kurt laughs both at being caught, and Blaine's extremely inappropriate innuendo. He shakes his head and admits, "I keep trying to put a name to the color of your eyes, and I'm having trouble. Which is stupid because I am _amazing_ with colors. Your eyes just keep thwarting my attempts. Hazel just isn't an appropriate description, you know? It's boring, and your eyes are anything but."

Blaine is smiling at him. "I think I'm a little bit in love with your flirting methods, Kurt."

Kurt flushes because _he is flirting_, and steps it up a notch as he glances up at Blaine from under his lashes. "So, it's working then?"

"Yeah, totally."

Kurt smiles and they're really so close, just leaning on the railing with their elbows, their arms and shoulders pressed together. He realizes he doesn't want to wait anymore. _I'm ready for this_, he thinks, just as ready as he was on the pool deck earlier. He takes a breath and continues to watch Blaine, the way Blaine's eyes are now looking at his lips, just lingering there, and it's all of the encouragement that he needs. Biting his lower lip briefly in a last moment of uncertainty, he closes those few inches between them to press their lips together.

There aren't fireworks or stars dancing around his head or any other one of the many clichés he's been led to believe are supposed to occur when you first kiss the person you love. It's better than that, actually, because it's real and it's happening. Blaine is returning his kiss, lips warm and slightly wet against his mouth. They don't fall into each other's arms or pull at each other's hair or even gasp about how much they love each other and how long they've waited for this. They just kiss until it feels right to stop, and then they both pull back and smile at one another.

Kurt realizes he's been holding his breath the entire time. He releases it, and with it feels something uncoil deep within him. For just a moment it makes his chest ache and his eyes burn. There's pain and fear, wonder and joy, and he's completely overwhelmed. He barely feels Blaine's fingers brushing against the back of his hand, a slow and soothing touch.

"You all right?" Blaine asks softly, his fingers now moving over Kurt's wrist.

Kurt nods, still unable to speak. Somehow, at the moment, words are impossible.

Blaine just continues to touch him lightly, steadily, until Kurt finally feels the ache begin to lessen. Little by little, the awfulness of everything that has been constricting his heart for so long is beginning to let go. He breathes, and he looks up at Blaine, and knows he's not afraid anymore.

Seeming to sense this, Blaine says quietly, "I hope that was better than your first kiss."

Kurt's not lying when he replies, "That was my first kiss."

Then Kurt finds himself leaning in again, because Blaine's lips had still tasted like chocolate volcano, and he wants to experience that feeling of having their lips pressed together once more. This time it's easier, not so terrifying. He lets Blaine take control, adding pressure and deepening the kiss just a bit so that their lips become more entwined than pressed. Kurt finds himself relaxing ever so slowly, head angling opposite Blaine's, sighing softly against Blaine's mouth when he feels his fingers brush against his jaw.

He doesn't know how long they just stand there, leaning against the railing, learning the taste and touch and feel of one another. However long it is, he's pretty certain he'd be more than okay with doing this forever. It ends anyway. Blaine presses his forehead against Kurt's, his fingers still sweeping along his jaw, and Kurt keeps his eyes closed, enjoying the moment.

"You okay?" Blaine whispers.

"Perfect," Kurt responds just as quietly and somehow he _feels_ Blaine's smile.

Blaine's hand slips away from his face, and Kurt instantly misses his touch until he feels arms encircle his waist, pulling him closer. He opens his eyes and smiles as Blaine lays his head on Kurt's shoulder. He rests his head against Blaine's, arms sliding around his shoulders, and they just stand there, holding one another. _This may be the most perfect moment of my life_, Kurt thinks as he stares out at the blackness of the water, occasionally broken by the whitecaps of the waves. He can hear the faint music of the ship's band _Sipra_ playing in Cosmos lounge and the wind whistling through the bars in the railing. The _Millennium'_s engines rumble beneath them as Blaine's fingers sweep gently across his back.

He says what he is most feeling in that moment, "I can't believe this is real."

Blaine's arms tighten around him slightly. "Me neither."

Tonight it's Kurt who walks Blaine back to his stateroom. They can hear the television from a couple of the Warblers' rooms that they pass, but the corridor is empty and quiet. They stop in front of the door and Blaine leans a shoulder against the wall, their fingers still tangled together between them.

"So, Barbados tomorrow. Snorkeling and swimming. You up for it?"

Kurt gives him a coy smile. "Maybe."

"Does this mean I might actually get to see you in swim trunks?"

"Maybe," Kurt says again with a little shrug of his shoulders.

Blaine gives Kurt a sleepy smile that Kurt is pretty certain the most adorable thing he's ever seen. For some reason, he thinks of his dad and Finn's comments about Blaine being smaller than him and the most unexpected feeling of protectiveness surges through him. It makes him step closer and cup Blaine's face, kissing him right there in the corridor. Kissing him with all of the ridiculous happiness he is feeling and the terror and the need and the thankfulness. When he pulls back, Blaine looks a little awestruck.

"What was that for?" he asks, slightly breathless.

Kurt shakes his head. "Just an urge."

Blaine smiles. "You should give into those more often," he says, making Kurt laugh.

They kiss again, brief and chaste this time, and Kurt steps back. "See you tomorrow?"

"Looking forward to it," Blaine responds, giving Kurt's hand a light squeeze before he slides his passcard into the lock and disappears into his room.

Kurt stands there for a long moment, staring at the space Blaine just vacated. A slow smile spreads across his face before he turns and heads down to his stateroom.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thank you again for all of your wonderful reviews on this fic. I love seeing that review alert pop up – seriously some of you bring me to tears!_

_This chapter is the longest so far-almost 11,000 words. IDEK anymore. Also, some people have asked and yes, the laws presented with regards to homosexuality on the islands are fact. Sad facts, but true. Also, "Eddy" and "Carl" are based on a couple I had the pleasure of meeting on the cruise - they were adorably awesome. And if Katy Perry seems to come up a lot? It's because every ship I was near seemed to love playing her. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

It's six forty-five when Kurt walks into the auditorium of the Celebrity Theatre. He'd stopped by Blaine's room on the way, but no one had answered. He understands why as he makes his way down the aisle—Holden appears to be sleeping in one of the chairs in the front row, and Blaine is already on stage talking with Wes and Thad. Kurt can only imagine that Holden isn't too happy being Blaine's roommate—he loves Blaine dearly but he's one of those obnoxious morning people who tend to wake up at five after only a few hours sleep and be just as chipper as he is at six in the evening. It would be ridiculously annoying if it didn't also mean that every morning at Dalton, Blaine had a steaming hot nonfat caramel latte ready for Kurt before classes start.

Kurt makes his way onto the stage and over to Blaine, who pauses in the middle of talking to Wes to take his hand and lean in to kisses him quickly on the corner of his mouth while saying "Good morning". And Kurt just doesn't even know how to react, can't even speak to wish him a good morning in response because A) Blaine just kissed him in front of Thad and Wes like it is something they do every day, B) Blaine just kissed him, and C) oh yeah, their first kiss last night means more kisses today! Also, Kurt is smiling too much at the moment to be bothered with speaking. So he just stands there and holds Blaine's hand, beaming brightly beside him because, honestly, this is already starting out to be the _best day ever_.

The boys are all dressed casually for rehearsal since they'll be changing before heading out for their excursion later in the morning. Kurt is still getting used to the sight of Wes in jeans on rare occasions like this morning. Thad and Blaine are both in Dalton sweats and t-shirts, and Blaine's hair is wet, obviously from a morning shower, a lack of gel allowing it to already begin curling around the tips of his ears. Kurt really wants to reach out and touch it, run his fingers through it, and it's kind of startling to realize that he can. Well, not right now because Blaine and the two council members are discussing the set list and it would be both rude and kind of creepy.

But later. He is totally giving in to that urge later.

_Okay, Kurt. Stop staring at your boyfriend and pay attention to the conversation_.

"—probably start with _Rio_ since it's such a new arrangement," Wes says. "Or we can start with the duet, if you'd prefer?"

"Yeah, about that…" Blaine pauses, and glances at Kurt for a moment, but Kurt can't read his expression. "I'm not entirely certain _Nobody Wants to be Lonely_ is a good fit for us."

_Oh, thank God_! Kurt thinks, smile broadening at his boyfriend. "I've been thinking the exact same thing! I didn't want to say anything but I am in complete agreement."

Wes is frowning. "Well, the council thinks it'll be a great song. I don't see how we can go wrong with Christina Aguilera and Ricky Martin."

Blaine holds up his free hand. "Hey, we have nothing against Christina—Kurt and I went to "Burlesque" opening night."

"Cher was the best part of that movie," Kurt says. "Well, and Cam Gigandet in eyeliner."

Blaine makes an aborted attempt to stifle his laugh. He recovers quickly and continues, "I'm just saying, we might want to reconsider."

Wes and Thad look at one another a moment in some freaky form of silent communication, and then Thad looks at them. "Well, try it for now and if it seems off, then we'll need to discuss something else. Maybe replace it with another solo?" He glances at Wes again.

Kurt hates the idea of giving up the duet completely. "We'll try it," he says quickly, before they decide to just replace it. "And if it doesn't work, Blaine and I will come up with something that does."

Another glance is exchanged between the older boys before they both nod in agreement. There are voices filling the auditorium as more of the Warblers being to arrive. Wes and Thad walk over to David.

Blaine turns to smile at Kurt as they're left alone. "Great minds think alike."

Kurt nods as their fingers curl together. "I would have said something sooner if I'd thought you were thinking the same thing. It's not that it isn't a great song, it's just—"

"Not us."

And Kurt knows he's beaming again because yeah, Blaine gets it.

Their rehearsal ends up having both its high and low points. _Rio_ goes fairly well. Kurt can't help but enjoy singing the nonsensical lyrics. The pop harmony background the group provides even makes him try a few dance moves. To make it even more fun, this time he gets to be the one occasionally flashing a flirtatious look in Blaine's direction. Every time he looks at Blaine, he finds his boyfriend smiling at him with something very much like pride, and it makes him think about what his dad said about Blaine going on about his talent. So yeah, a part of him is totally singing just to show off to the boy he loves.

He also discovers how incredibly easy it is to be playful with the other Warblers, too. They all seem to be having fun with the song, and at one point he dances over to Nick, and the two of them dance and sing to the chorus together:

"_And when she shines she really shows you all she can  
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande_"

They run through the song five times, and even Kurt is a little sick of Duran Duran by the time they're finished. H's pretty certain that given the fact they have three more rehearsals before their performance, the song will be perfect.

Unfortunately, the duet is not quite as successful. Sure, he and Blaine sound wonderful together and there's something very interesting about the song in a cappella, but it's obvious neither of them is really feeling it. The tone doesn't seem to fit with the other songs in the set list. Plus, there's one thing that's really annoying Kurt…

"You really need to stop trying to be Ricky Martin," Kurt remarks to Blaine when Wes stops them for the third time in the middle of the song.

Blaine looks offended. Kurt doesn't care.

"Is that so? Well, just so you know, _you're_ no Christina Aguilera."

"Lover's quarrel, ho!" Flint calls out.

"I'm a _fantastic _Christina!" Kurt folds his arms over his chest and ignores the laughter erupting behind them. "But I suppose I probably do look a little silly standing beside you as you make those ridiculous faces – seriously, _what is that_?"

"What?" Blaine's tone goes up an octave or two, but his expression looks as if he can't decide whether to laugh or be angry.

"Okay, okay." Wes comes down to join them. "You don't have to do this song. Let's run through Blaine's solos, but if you can think of anything to replace it, we'll give it a try."

Wes doesn't see them high five one another as he turns away, but the other Warblers are smirking.

They run through _Teenage Dream_ and _Hey Soul Sister _rather quickly, and it's decided at the end that they really have no need to rehearse them again—they've got them down perfect. Kurt doesn't bother protesting but honestly, he could listen to Blaine sing _Teenage Dream_ on repeat until the sun goes supernova. After all, it _is_ their song.

It hadn't really crossed his mind since David mentioned the set list on the plane, but when they begin Michael Bublé's _Everything_ and Blaine turns to Kurt almost immediately to sing it… well, Kurt realizes how romantic of a song it is and kind of forgets he's supposed to be singing along with the Warblers, and not, you know, f_awning over his boyfriend_.

"_You're a falling star; you're the get away car.  
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.  
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.  
And you're the perfect thing to say_."

Blaine dances in front of the group at first, turning and smiling at Kurt as he does so, occasionally facing him as he sings a few words before spinning back around and dancing toward one end of the stage and back again, but no matter where he strays on stage, he always makes his way back to Kurt.

"_And you play it coy but it's kinda cute_."

Oh God, did he really just tap his finger on the end of Kurt's nose?

"_Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.  
Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true.  
'cause you can see it when I look at you_."

Blaine then winks and dances away again as the rest of the Warblers sing with him. Kurt just stands there, not even remembering the words to the damn song because he's having trouble not turning into one of those sixteen-year-old girls in the old black and white Beatles videos who scream and throw themselves around hysterically. Because, he kind of understands _why_ now.

"_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times  
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.  
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything_."

_I'm pathetic. I am totally and completely wrapped around his little finger, and with my luck, he probably knows it_. Before Kurt can even begin to get a handle on the feelings pulsing through him, Blaine is back at his side, being adorable and goofy, and yes, totally singing his song just for Kurt.

"_You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,  
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.  
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,  
You're every minute of my every day_.

"_And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man_," he sings, grabbing Kurt's hand. "_And I get to kiss you, baby, just because I can._" He brings Kurt's hand to his lips and kisses his fingers. "_Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through. And you know that's what our love can do._"

Another wink and he's off again, standing beside David as the group sings:

"_So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la  
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la_

"And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times  
It's you, it's you, you make me sing.  
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.  
You're every song, and I sing along.  
'Cause you're my everything.  
Yeah, yeah

"So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la  
So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la"

The Warblers are grinning by the end of the song because none of them could truthfully deny that Blaine wasn't perfect for the cheese factor of it. Quite honestly in Kurt's opinion—which is undeniably being driven by hormones—Blaine could have been completely out of tune the entire time, and it still would have been perfect.

"Yeah, so that was good." Wes turns to face Kurt. "But next time, could you maybe join in with us, you know, as a Warbler."

Kurt feels his face flush with embarrassment as the guys around him laugh. Galen reaches over to pat him on the shoulder. And Blaine, damn him, is actually smiling like everything is perfectly fine. Kurt wants to tell him it wasn't totally his fault that he almost forgot how to breathe.

"Seriously, though," Nick says, "You guys kind of make me want to vomit rainbows and unicorns."

"Don't forget puppies!" Kendrick adds.

"Or those horrible heart-shaped candies at Valentine's," Flint offers.

"Fluffy little white baby bunnies!"

As one, they all turn and look at Jared. He shrugs. "What? I can like adorable baby animals, ya know."

There's a beat of silence before Wes turns to glance between Kurt and Blaine. "So, any ideas for that duet? Or should we move on?"

"Actually…"

Kurt had thought of this during _Teenage Dream_, and now he really can't imagine it is anything but perfect. He steps out of his place in line, making his way over to Holden. The guy is almost as big as Finn, so he has to lean down while Kurt whispers his idea to him. He laughs as he hears it, but nods and gives him a "thumbs up" before motioning for some of the other Warblers to join him.

Smiling, Kurt meanders his way back to the front of the stage where Blaine is looking at him curiously. He just continues to smile, hands tucked behind his back as he sways in place, hearing the tune in his head. A few minutes pass as the group of Warblers behind them talk, and there are a few perfunctory notes hummed here and there.

"Okay. I think we've got it," Holden calls out.

Kurt gives a nod. "Ready when you are."

Blaine starts laughing at a few bars in.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Rehearsal ran longer than scheduled. Kurt glances at the clock on his phone and see he's only got a half an hour before he needs to head down to the dock.

Sighing, he looks in the mirror again, just like he's been doing on and off for since he put his swim trunks on fifteen minutes ago. He doesn't know if he can do this. His clothes define him. _Fashion_ defines him. There's nothing fashionable about swim trunks no matter how much he spent on them. Once fashion is taken away, what's left? A nondescript, too-pale boy who is totally afraid of his boyfriend seeing him like this. Kurt even schedules his showers at Dalton at night so he won't unexpectedly run into Blaine. And it's stupid, he knows, but from the moment he met Blaine, all he's ever wanted to do is impress him, grab his attention, be wanted by him. Yes, he's has all that now but he wants to hang on to it.

_I can't do this_, he thinks, quickly pulling open the closet to find something else to wear. Sighing, he deliberately closes the door because he knows Blaine is looking forward to them swimming and snorkeling. He'll probably think it's something he did if Kurt shows up unprepared to join in on the activities.

A knock on the stateroom door makes him jump, but then he rolls his eyes because Finn had been in such a hurry, running out the door as Kurt arrived, that he assumes Finn had probably forgotten to take his ID with him. He shakes his head as he pulls open the door.

"Did you forget your passca-?" He breaks off when he realizes it's not Finn but Blaine standing outside the door. "Ummm, hi."

Blaine doesn't say anything in return. In fact, he's just stares. Kurt feels so ridiculously self-conscious, it isn't even funny. He feels practically naked and realizes that this is quite possibly his worst idea ever. The longer Blaine's silence continues the more he's certain he cannot go out in public like this — he won't do it. Kurt's not in the mood to humiliate himself any more than he's in the mood to deal with his boyfriend's obvious repugnance.

Kurt quickly crosses his arms over his chest, trying to cover whatever he can.

He knows he sounds a little angry and hurt when he speaks. "I wasn't expecting you."

It's probably his tone that snaps Blaine out of his silence. "Kurt," he says like he's forgotten who was standing in front of him, "I'm sorry. I just thought we could go down to the dock together. I-"

He licks his lips as his eyes sweep over Kurt's body again. Kurt's just about to slam the door in his face when Blaine steps inside—which isn't like Blaine; he always, _always_ waits for an invitation. Kurt can't help but step back because Blaine is right in his space and continues to be in his space until he leans back into the door, closing it softly behind him.

"You're in swim trunks," Blaine says in the most stupidly obvious statement in the history of statements.

Kurt frowns. "Really? I hadn't noticed." He turns away. "I'm rethinking it though-"

"Wait." Blaine grabs his hand, stopping him. The tone of his voice is slightly higher than usual. "Why are you mad? You sound mad. Did I do something?"

"No." Kurt shakes his head, but can't meet Blaine's gaze because he feels so ashamed of himself right now. He loves staring at Blaine in his swim trunks. Hut he should have known it wouldn't necessarily be the same the other way around. "I'm just… not comfortable. I'm going to change." He moves to pull away.

Blaine doesn't let him. "Why?"

Kurt sighs. He tries crossing his free arm back over his chest. "Because, I don't… I'm just not you."

When his response is greeted with silence, Kurt takes a chance to meet Blaine's gaze, who looks so utterly bewildered that Kurt finds himself wondering if maybe he's misinterpreting things.

It wouldn't be the first time.

Blaine continues to stare at him as if maybe he's grown a set of antenna or something, but then there's a flicker of comprehension in his eyes, and his expression melds from confusion to total incredulity. He says, "Oh, Kurt. Seriously?"

Before Kurt can open his mouth to respond, Blaine is moving past him, tugging Kurt with him as he sits on Kurt's bed and pulls him to stand between his legs. He settles his hands on Kurt's hips, and his thumbs are just at the edge of the waist band, barely touching his skin. It's amazing and terrifying all at once. It's also rather difficult to concentrate on what Blaine is saying.

"Look, I get that this-" and he lifts one hand to indicate them, "is new and we're both kind of insecure and flailing around in our attempts to figure out what we're supposed to be doing and saying, and how we're supposed to act when we're together. But I need you to know, and believe, that I think you're pretty near perfect. I mean, you have a tendency to overreact to things without getting the facts first—_don't_ make a face, you know you do. As a matter of fact, you just proved it."

Kurt looks away and decides it's wholly appropriate to ignore his boyfriend for the rest of the day.

"Hey." Blaine reaches up and takes Kurt's chin between his fingers and forces his head back around to face him. "I know it's scary but I need you to talk to me. Tell what you're thinking."

Kurt honestly doesn't want to talk about it. Things like this are easier kept to oneself and he's never been comfortable with telling people what he's thinking. Mostly because nobody actually wants to hear it. But Blaine is watching him so patiently, and his hand has moved from Kurt's chin to slide along his jaw, fingers trailing over his neck before resting soft and warm against his chest. Kurt's pretty certain that Blaine can hear his heart beating; it's thrumming rapidly in his chest. Fear, hurt, need. Blaine is _looking _upat him, like maybe he could take away all Kurt's fears and insecurities if only he'd give him the chance.

So he tries, and he knows the words are coming out haltingly and broken. "It's just, my clothes, they're… who I am. I can't… I don't… I'm afraid of what you see… when they're gone."

Blaine nods. "You've been uncomfortable ever since you had to put on the uniform, haven't you?"

"Mostly. I like the tie and stuff; it makes me feel like a different person."

Another nod, then Blaine is reaching up to wrap his hand around Kurt's neck and pulling him down to brush their lips together—once, twice, and by the third time Kurt is pressing down into the kiss. His fingers curl into the material of Blaine's grey cotton Henley and he can't really remember what they were talking about because Blaine's arms around him and his hands are pressed flat against his back. And then his fingers are tracing along Kurt's spine before sliding outwards, and Kurt laughs against his mouth because he's ticklish, _dammit_, and Blaine doesn't stop, just drags his fingers around Kurt's waist. Kurt finally has to pull back and slap at Blaine's hands because he hates being tickled, and oddly enough, kissing doesn't make the tickling any more acceptable.

Blaine's laughing and smiling at him, reaching for Kurt's hands and pulling him back, wrapping his arms fully around him and laying his cheek against Kurt's chest. His hair sort of tickle Kurt's skin, and he can't stop himself from bending his head down to place a kiss in the middle of the curls, inhaling the smell of the ginseng and macadamia of the Celebrity-provided shampoo as he drapes his arms over Blaine's shoulders.

"You're gorgeous, Kurt." Blaine kisses the skin beneath his mouth, causing Kurt to shudder at the unexpected and breathtaking touch. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to hold you like this."

Kurt sighs and buries his nose back into Blaine's curls because, really, they're soft and silky and they smell spectacular. He thinks that maybe he needs to start working on his tendency to jump to conclusions, and that maybe he'll allow Blaine to work on his vast amounts of insecurities.

For now he just says, "Thank you." Then deciding to prove he can laugh at himself, he adds, "Hopefully I won't blind too many people with my hasn't-seen-the-sun-in-years complexion."

A beat, then, "That's why we have sunglasses."

Kurt blinks, and realizes Blaine is already shaking against him with laughter as he pushes back and punches him in the shoulder for good measure. "You suck!" Although he laughs as he struggles to pull away. Blaine tightens his hold, even with the repeated beating, and pulls Kurt onto his lap.

It's entirely new, and entirely perfect, and Kurt is entirely certain he could get used to this. He leans back into the tight embrace as Blaine lays his chin on his shoulder, both occasionally laughing at nothing whatsoever.

"We should probably get going," Kurt comments after a few minutes of silence, just enjoying the feeling of being held against his boyfriend.

"Hang on." Blaine pulls an arm away, shifting slightly to dig into his right pocket. He pulls out his cell phone, and Kurt takes a breath, knowing what's coming. Blaine says quietly, "Thought we could look together before we go onshore."

Kurt doesn't say anything, but brings himself to nod in assent as Blaine begins typing. It's a simple phrase, really: _laws against homosexuality in Barbados_. Kurt has the sudden urge to look away, to never see those words in any sort of context again.

And then the screen flashes.

_Life in prison_.

Neither of them says a word. Kurt feels nauseous. Terrified. Angry. He can't even think of anything to say. He feels Blaine's chin move from his shoulder, and then there's warmth—Blaine's lips where his chin had just been, just pressing against Kurt's skin, another new sensation that is oddly comforting. It's at least enough to form Kurt's emotion into one comprehensible thought.

"Maybe we should just stay on the ship today."

Blaine's breath flows over his skin as he sighs against him; his arms tighten slightly around Kurt's waist. "I considered that too, but I wouldn't want to ruin the day for everyone else."

Kurt shifts slightly on his lap to look questioningly at him. He regrets it instantly because he likes the feeling of Blaine's lips against his shoulder.

"If we told the group we weren't going, they'd want to know why," he explains. "And then we'd tell them, and then they'd be pissed and decide not to go as well. In protest. Or maybe Jared would leave the ship and set the port on fire."

"I'll supply the matches." Kurt doesn't bother hiding his anger.

"Kurt—"

"It isn't fair!" Kurt pulls away from Blaine's embrace to stand, and stomps over to the closet to grab his New York t-shirt. He's half-tempted to shred it to vent his anger, but instead he just pulls it over his head. "I just want to be able to enjoy things like snorkeling and swimming and beaches on a tropical paradise with my boyfriend, and instead I'm reduced to being absolutely terrified to even _look_ at you. It's like every time I start to allow myself to believe that I can be happy and have what I want and not worry about it, suddenly I'm forced to remember what the real world is like."

Blaine is suddenly there, pulling Kurt against him, cupping his face and kissing him lightly. It's amazing and wonderful because of what's being said without a single word: _You're not alone_. Kurt clings to him. He can't help but feel it's because it's safe here, behind the door, where no one can see them, where no one can _send them to prison_. Blaine kisses the corner of his mouth and his cheek and his eyebrow and his lips again, and Kurt wishes they'd been doing this since the day they met.

"Kurt," Blaine whispers against his cheek, "if you really want to stay here today, we will. I'll think of something to tell the guys—convince them to enjoy it for us or something."

For a few brief seconds, Kurt considers saying yes that is what he wants, but then realizes it wouldn't just be the Warblers—his family's day would be ruined as well. He closes his eyes and shakes his head and pulls Blaine a little closer. "No. Finn is looking forward to it, and my dad would… No. We'll go." He thinks about it a moment, and finds himself saying, "We were friends before this. And for today, we can be friends again."

Blaine sighs and kisses him once more, brief and chaste. "No law in the world can take away what I feel for you."

Kurt feels a small smile appear because, honestly, _how does he always know the right thing to say_?

"What if I promise to make tonight special?" Blaine asks.

Kurt leans back to look at him. "How?" 

"I don't know." Blaine shrugs and gives him a smile. "But I'll think of something. Promise."

Already wondering what "special" might entail, Kurt finally pulls away and glances in the mirrors that line the wall along the foot of the beds to check his hair. He's still angry and anxious—it's probably noticeable in his quick movements—and he doesn't think it will go away until they're safely back on the ship.

"We'd better go. Everyone will wonder where we are, which means the Warblers will make inappropriate guesses and my dad may change his mind about you."

Blaine laughs and grabs Kurt's messenger bag, handing it to him as he turns away from the mirror. Instead of thanking Blaine, Kurt kisses him. It's a form of communication he's getting used to.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The ship is called _Jammin'_ and it's a fifty-foot Catamaran with over forty passengers from the _Millennium_ onboard in addition to six crew members. There's loud music playing through the speakers—surprisingly a good mix of popular hits throughout the decades—and a bar from which one of the crew members is serving rum punch to the adults (and surprisingly a few teens whose parents are just handing the cups to them. Burt had said a resounding no when Kurt had glanced in his direction). The Warblers had immediately congregated on the two areas covered in netting stretched over the water at the bow of the ship, although it hadn't taken long for Brett, Holden, Galen, Dean and Jared to disappear to the aft of the boat where three Irish girls and their single mother were seated. Thirty minutes later and Kurt is beginning to feel sorry for the poor mother hovering over her daughters while the five boys do the same.

Although Kurt and Blaine haven't been able to spend much time together, Kurt hasn't been lonely because the Warblers haven't allowed that to happen. Here's the thing: when you want to keep something quiet, don't tell Finn.

When they'd disembarked that morning, Blaine and Kurt had made the decision to at least tell Kurt's family about the law so they wouldn't begin to wonder if something was wrong between them. They'd pulled them aside and quietly explained, and it had taken both of them to convince Burt that no, they weren't going to cancel the excursion and go back to the ship. That wasn't fair to any of them. They just wanted to enjoy the day and allow the other boys to do the same. Apparently, though, the minute Finn had boarded the bus, he'd told Holden. Who told his brother, Brett. Who told Dean. Who told Wes. Who told David. And so on and so forth.

At some point during the short cruise to the first snorkeling site—a pair of sunken ships that were home to schools upon schools of brightly-colored fish—every single Warbler had come up to either Blaine or Kurt and told them what total bullshit the law was. Jared had suggested taking over the _Jammin_' and setting up a blockade around the island. Kurt is still trying to figure out how, exactly, he planned to do that with one little boat.

Kurt is currently flanked by Jeff, Nick, Flint and Byron. They're talking about the new set list and how glad they'll be to be done with singing the Christmas songs after that evening's performance. Kurt leans back a bit against the netting, looking past Nick's shoulder to see Blaine sitting on the edge of the bow talking to Finn and David. As if he can feel Kurt's gaze, Blaine glances over and smiles. Kurt can't help but smile back. He likes that Finn and Blaine get along well enough to have conversations together. Then again, he wonders if a person even exists who couldn't get along with Blaine.

"You're going to totally burn, you know," Flint remarks beside him. "You've got to be the palest person I've ever met."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Kurt says. "And no, I won't." He reaches into his messenger bag beside him and pulls out his sun block. "SPF 100. I have about three layers of it on."

Flint stares at him. Finally, he says, "You realize you're totally insane, right? Not that it's not cool or anything. But yeah, insane."

Kurt rolls his eyes and slides the sun block back into the bag.

Their next snorkeling site is with sea turtles. They only see a few but it's pretty cool because they're swimming right beside them and under them, and at one point Kurt reaches out and brushes his fingertips along a turtle's shell. As it swims away, he notices someone swimming up beside him. When he glances over, he finds Blaine. They stare at one another through their masks for a moment and then Blaine reaches out and takes his hand. Kurt smiles around his snorkel, and thinks to hell with it—the boat is somewhere over in another direction, he's lost track, and they're underwater, and who cares anyway because he's with his boyfriend in the Caribbean ocean swimming with sea turtles, _dammit_. And Blaine seems to be thinking the same because he tugs his hand suddenly and they swim together after the sea turtle.

When they catch up to it, the turtle has been joined by a larger turtle, and Carole, a couple of the Warblers, and a few kids are there as well. Annoyingly, the kids keep chasing the turtles, and at one point Kurt turns to Blaine and rolls his eyes behind his mask. He feels Blaine squeeze his hand in response. They linger a while longer, even after the turtles are gone. They're finally called back to the ship by the crew so they can head to the next swimming site.

They let everyone else head back first, and follow at a slower pace, still holding hands, tucked against one another, allowing the tide to carry them back toward the boat more than actual swimming. Kurt doesn't want to let go even as they draw nearer, having Blaine beside him makes him feel reckless and daring, and he clings a little bit until Blaine's other hand settles over them both before he gently pulls them apart. Kurt would be mad but the look Blaine is giving him as they surface and pull off their masks is painful and he realizes that Blaine isn't doing this out of choice.

When they climb up the ladder onto the boat and hand over their snorkeling gear, Blaine briefly—so briefly Kurt wonders if he imagines it—touches Kurt's waist before making his way over to the bar to get a Coke. Kurt watches him for a long moment before moving back toward the bow to retake his seat with the Warblers.

The _Jammin_' ends up cruising to a cove where there's a large stretch of beach. They're told to swim over but are cautioned to take it easy as it is actually further than it looks. A few dozen other boats bob beside theirs, filled with just as many passengers as the catamaran. All of them seem to love playing music, and at one point Kurt can hear two different Katy Perry songs blasting from either side of the cove—_Teenage Dream_ at one end, and _Hot and Cold_ at the other. Of course the Warblers all start singing along to _Teenage Dream_ until the _Jammin_'s speakers begin playing _Beat It_, and suddenly there's a dance off to find out who can move most like Michael.

Definitely not in the mood to be cajoled into doing the moonwalk, Kurt slips away from the bow of the boat and makes his way aft, stopping for just a moment to talk to his dad and Carole. They both seem to be enjoying themselves. They ask him how he's doing and he gives them his best smile and assures them he's all right. He's not, but he doesn't need them to know that.

The aft ladder is empty; there are kids swimming further out from the boat. He climbs down onto the attached board and sits with his feet in the water. He can hear Blaine singing along to _Beat It_ and it makes him smile. Who knew he could ever fall so completely in love with a voice other than his own? But he does love listening to Blaine sing; there's something about his voice that makes Kurt happy, even when he just wants to be sad.

"Mind if I join you?"

Kurt looks up to see Kendrick moving down the rungs. He shrugs in response as Kendrick sits beside him, splashing his legs into the water.

"Didya see any turtles?"

Kurt nods, staring into the clear water as he thinks about holding Blaine's hand as they swam. "You?"

"Yeah, until some bratty kids chased it away." He looks over his shoulder glaring as if the "bratty kids" were standing right behind them. "Some parents need to learn how to control they're fricken children."

Kurt smiles because, honestly, out of all of the Warblers Kendrick is the most child-like. Well, other than Jared; the difference being Kendrick is the kid who spills milk on your carpet, Jared sets your carpet on fire.

"So, like, I know I've been giving you guys a lot of crap, but I just wanted to say I'm glad you and Blaine are together." Kendrick is looking at him now, and really, Kurt has to admit he's kind of cute, like a pixie, with tiny features and an enormous smile.

"Thanks." Kurt's not really sure how else to respond.

Kendrick shrugs and smiles. "_He'd _never say it in like a million years or under the threat of shaving his head or something, but I think Blaine's been lonely, ya know?"

Kurt knows the feeling, but he finds himself wondering why Kendrick seems so certain of this.

"Oh, hey!" Kendrick slaps Kurt's arm suddenly, and it kind of hurts. "We should totally double-date sometime!" he says as if it's the best idea ever. "Michael and Blaine get along pretty well—they were on the debate team last year. And I think you'd like Michael. He's on the rugby team, and he can't sing worth a damn, but he's funny and sweet. He loves animals. In fact, he plans on becoming a vet."

Kurt sits in stunned silence because, well, admittedly he's wondered about Kendrick once or twice but no one has ever said anything to indicate that he's gay. Least of all Blaine and Kurt can't wrap his head around the answer as to why.

He finally asks quietly, "You're gay?"

Kendrick looks at him like "duh?" but then his expression changes somewhat and he frowns. "Blaine never told you?"

"No…"

"Oh." Kendrick looks away and shifts as if suddenly uncomfortable. "I just thought…"

He pauses again, before he's flashing a smile and pushing off the backboard to jump into the water. Surfacing, he smoothes his hair back off his forehead, and bobs for a second, smiling at Kurt. "No biggie, but like I said, we should totally double-date. We'll figure something out when we get back to school." And then he swims around the side of the boat.

Kurt sits as he processes what he's just been told. It has nothing to do with Kendrick being gay and _everything_ to do with the fact that Blaine never said anything. It has everything to do with Kendrick's reaction to Blaine not having said anything. The facts could only bring one to conclude that something must have happened between the two of them in the past. And yes, maybe Kurt learned a few lessons about jumping to conclusions that morning but honestly, what other answer could there be?

He tries really, really hard not to jump to conclusions as he climbs to his feet and makes his way back onto the boat. The Warblers who were flirting with the girls have made their way back to the bow, dragging their new friends with them, Carole and the girls' mom are talking while trying to get some sun, and his dad and Finn are chatting with two of the crew. Kurt looks around for Blaine, wondering if he could get a chance to speak with him for a moment when he spies Holden sneaking up behind him near the bow.

Frowning, he starts toward them just as Blaine lets out a shriek as Holden picks him up and pitches him over the side of the boat. Rolling his eyes at the boy's antics, Kurt hurries his way forward, leaning over the railing to see Blaine surface, spurting out sea water, and looking a little like a drowned rat with his curls plastered to his forehead.

"Are you okay?" Kurt calls out.

Blaine is coughing and making comments about the salt content in the Caribbean, but nods as he continues to tread water and get his bearings.

Kurt glances over at Holden, who looks entirely too proud of himself when David walks up and claps him on the back. "Man, that was awesome," David tells him—right before shoving Holden forward.

Blaine barely swims out of the way before Holden goes head first into the spot he had just landed. "Thanks, David!" Blaine calls out, giving David a wave.

"No problem, bro."

As Holden surfaces Blaine immediately pounces, shoving him back under the water. It's obviously a losing battle, but Blaine is attempting to get his shots in before Holden drowns him or whatever it is the bigger boy will do. Kurt briefly considers going in to lend his assistance, but then remembers he's upset with Blaine for keeping things from him. Ignoring the shrieks from his boyfriend as Holden apparently begins drowning him Kurt retakes his seat on the netting and joins Nick and Jeff's conversation about potential Oscar nominees.

The last hour isn't much different from the first three, other than the fact that the adults are significantly drunker. When the _Macarena_ begins playing, there's an embarrassing line of middle-aged men and women who can barely stand up to dance. Unfortunately, when the crew plays the song a second time immediately following, half of the Warblers decide to get up and join in. Kurt tries to pretend he doesn't know any of them.

"Not into the _Macarena_?" Blaine drops beside him and runs his fingers through his hair as he tries to smooth it down. He's spent most of the last hour in the water, causing Kurt to begin to wonder if he is dating a fish.

"_No_," Kurt practically sneers.

Blaine laughs and leans back on his elbows. "Aww. You're no fun."

"I'm sure Kendrick is enough fun for both of us." Okay, so he's not entirely certain where that came from.

He can feel Blaine staring at him. "What's that supposed to m—"

"So I totally want to join this crew and live on this boat forever." Flint unknowingly interrupts as he plops down beside them, and is quickly joined by Kendrick, Nick, Jeff and Thad. "We tried to get them to play it a third time, but they said some people were giving them dirty looks with the second."

"I put in a request for _Mambo Number 5_," Jeff says. "They claim they have it."

"Awesome."

Kurt casts a sideways glance to see Blaine staring hard at Kendrick. The boy squirms under the stare for a moment before looking away. It's honestly all of the proof Kurt needs. Grabbing his messenger bag, he gets up saying, "I'm going to go sit with my parents."

Jeff lets out a "Whoop!" behind him as _Mambo Number 5_ begins blaring through the speakers.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

True to his word, Blaine had planned a special evening for just the two of them. He'd apparently gotten permission from Burt and Carole for the two of them to skip dinner in the dining hall, and instead have dinner alone together in the Olympic Club. Dinner in the Olympic is not included in the price of the cruise—it's extra, and expensive, and Blaine is paying for the entire thing. The menu is amazing and the service is outstanding. It's quiet, and they're two of the youngest people there, other than two other teenage boys who are sitting with their parents and definitely _not_ dressed appropriately for a place like this. The restaurant is modeled after the dining club that was on the _Olympic_, the sister ship to the _Titanic_. It's gorgeous and elegant. The high-backed chairs are covered in silk cloth of cream and soft yellow, the tables are decorated with candles and small vases of lilies, and orchestral music is piped in through the speakers.

Everything would be absolutely perfect except for one thing - he and Blaine have said maybe ten words to one another since they sang the last of their Christmas songs in the main foyer, and that exchange was exceedingly polite and stilted.

They continue to say nothing while they glance through their menus. Their servers stop by to offer them water and bread and inquire with regards to appetizers. Kurt can't even bring himself to look at Blaine because he's afraid of what he might see in the other boy's eyes. Yes, he's angry because he knows Blaine isn't being completely honest with him, but at the same time, he hates this and he doesn't want Blaine to be angry at him for being angry at Blaine.

Having a boyfriend is complicated and kind of sucks.

When one of the servers returns, they place their order—things like lobster bisque, truffle risotto, chateaubriand and other items not available at places like BreadstiX. The silence stretches after the server takes their menus and disappears. Blaine begins fiddling with the candle, which isn't really a candle at all—open flames not being allowed on a cruise ship and all of that—but one of those fake lighted candles. It's an obvious sign that things aren't really good between them when Blaine begins paying more attention to things on the table than Kurt.

Kurt continues to sit, straight-backed and tall, memorizing the tasteful décor, and kind of hating the fact that he's miserable. Honestly, screaming at one another would be better than this.

Well, not in here.

It's Blaine who finally says something. "So are you going to talk to me about what's wrong or are we going to spend the entire evening pretending the other isn't here?"

Kurt bristles a little at the tone, like this is somehow his fault. "I think you know what's wrong. Don't play stupid, Blaine. You're better than that."

The candle becomes the most important thing at the table again. Blaine twirls it between his hands for a silent moment. "Kendrick obviously said something."

"Actually, Kendrick thought _you_ had said something because all he did was mention we should double-date with him and his _boyfriend_. He was a little shocked that I didn't know he's gay." It's difficult keeping his voice at a hush, but he manages somehow. "That kind of reaction to the fact you never told me can only lead me to conclude one thing—were you and Kendrick an item?" 

"Kurt." Blaine reaches for his hand but Kurt snatches it away. Frowning, Blaine leans back in his chair. "And this is exactly _why_ I didn't tell you."

That comment just pisses Kurt off. "What gives you the right to decide what you should and shouldn't tell me based on how you think I'm going to react?"

Blaine looks away and Kurt can't help but take it as an acknowledgment of guilt. "Maybe yes, I would have been a little worried and insecure and panicked because _that's what I do_ when it comes to things that matter to me, but you should have told me anyway. Now, all I can do is sit here and wonder if there's a reason that didn't tell me—like maybe you still have feelings for him or I just don't compare or—"

"Stop it, Kurt," Blaine says quietly but firmly, leaning back against the table to hold his gaze. "Just stop it, okay? Look, I'm sorry I hid it from you. I really didn't think it would ever come up, all right? Kendrick and I went out on two dates last year. _Two_. It was lucky our friendship survived it because honestly we couldn't tolerate each other—I thought he was an immature little brat and he thought I was boring and stuck up. We were actually kind of forced to learn how to be friendly again when he began dating Michael and started attending all the debates."

Kurt looks away. Having it confirmed kind of hurts, even if it doesn't sound like it ever became an actual relationship. He thinks it's because Kendrick is still there, daily, and he is kind of cute and talented, and yeah, he gets that maybe his hyperactivity would probably end up annoying Blaine, but still… they dated. And Blaine didn't bother telling him.

"Kurt," Blaine says softly. "Please look at me."

He does so because he wants to and he hates arguing with Blaine. This time when Blaine reaches out for his hand, Kurt gives it to him. Blaine smiles and applies a gentle pressure to his fingers.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he begins. "That's something I guess I need to work on—I tend not to mention things if, in my head, they're not important. And I guess maybe in your head, they are. I promise that from now on I'll try to be more forthcoming. Just…" Blaine pauses and draws a breath. "Give me some time to get used to that, okay? It's not really something I do."

"I've noticed," Kurt says a bit wryly. "And I don't mean to push—I really don't. It's just this…" He pauses and waves between them with his other hand. "I hate not knowing what I'm doing, and I'm still kind of afraid I'll wake up one morning and realize this isn't real."

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you I think the same thing?"

Kurt shrugs and offers a small smile because, yeah, if it's true it does help to know he isn't the only one who feels like he's floundering.

"I promise there's nothing between Kendrick and I other than friendship, and that's pretty minimal because mostly I want to duct tape his mouth shut." Blaine gives him a smile. "I'll be perfectly honest with you, Kurt. Ever since you came into my life there hasn't been room for anyone else."

Kurt beams, but also can't stop from saying, "Wow. That was cheesy."

"Cheesy as in goat or processed food?"

Considering the question seriously for a moment, Kurt says, "Goat. Definitely goat."

"Why, thank you." Blaine inclines his head.

"Don't mention it."

They both smile and just like that everything's fine.

The rest of their dinner is perfect. The food is amazing, and once past the whole Kendrick situation, they can't seem to stop talking. Without anyone else there to interrupt or change the topics, they slip into the comfortable banter and dazzlingly varied conversation they've been able to share since they met. They bounce from set lists to fashion to movies to the décor of the restaurant to cars and then back to music again. They spend more than two hours eating and talking and blatantly flirting with one another because they know they're doing it and they can.

When Blaine pays the bill, Kurt says, "We could have just as easily eaten upstairs in the buffet, you know?"

"I know." Blaine stands and holds out his hand.

Shaking his head, Kurt gets up and slips his hand into Blaine's. "Next time, I'm buying."

"If you insist."

"Oh, I do." As they exit the restaurant, Kurt leans over to adjust Blaine's tie that is slightly askew. Blaine smiles and gives him a too-quick kiss before he pulls back. He's a little dazed from the surprise affection in the middle of the hallway. "So where to now?"

"I thought we'd check out Cosmos. Holden can't stop talking about it and," he pulls his watch out of his pocket to glance at it, "we still have about an hour and a half before it's eighteen and over only."

It sounds interesting. The last dance club Kurt had visited had been one of those teens-only places with Mercedes, Tina and Mike. The music had been obnoxious and the other teens even more so. Tina and Mike seemed to have fun dancing, and while Mercedes and Kurt had joined in on a few songs, they'd spent most of the night hidden in a booth drinking too much soda and sharing commentary on the travesty of fashion that surrounded them.

Kurt can only hope Cosmos is a little better.

As it turns out, the music is far better, at least from what Kurt can tell as they enter the dance club. The walls actually vibrate from the sounds of the band, Sipra, playing up ahead—they're playing _Twist and Shout_. The ceiling is domed and covered in constellations, and there's an enormous circular bar in the far corner. There's enough seating for at least a couple hundred, which Kurt finds odd since the dance floor is smallish. In fact, there are currently only half a dozen couples taking advantage of it—almost everyone else is sitting in cushioned chairs, drinking and watching.

Blaine ends up leading him over to a cluster of chairs, opposite the band on the edge of the dance floor, and they sit down next to each other. Kurt focuses on the band. Beside him, Blaine is flipping to the back of the drink menu, glancing at the non-alcoholic options. As _Twist and Shout_ ends, Sipra moves right into _Just Dance. _Kurt raises an eyebrow, impressed.

"They're versatile," he kind of shouts at Blaine because, wow, it's loud in here.

Blaine just looks at him incomprehensively.

Okay, it's _really_ loud. Kurt leans in to his ear and shouts, "The band is versatile."

Blaine nods, turning his head to Kurt's ear and shouts back, "Holden said if it made the charts anytime in the last sixty years, odds are they know it."

Kurt grins because the shouting is ridiculous but he's enjoying leaning in close to one another to do it. When a server stops by to take their drink order, Kurt mouths "Just water" at Blaine, and barely makes out Blaine requesting some kind of frozen drink for himself. Leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, Kurt continues to watch the band, impressed by their style and the lead singer's voice. She can do Gaga as well as she does the Beatles. It's another complete switch in genres as _Just Dance_ finishes, and the lead is joined by the keyboard player for _I've Had the Time of My Life_. Not as good as Sam and Quinn, Kurt thinks, but still danceable.

Their drinks are delivered. Blaine leans forward, matching Kurt's position. They munch on the cup of provided peanuts, sip their drinks and listen to the music. Occasionally, they'll lean close and discuss the band and debate any music requests they might consider making. At one point, they're leaning in close and Kurt mentions he wouldn't mind hearing how they handle _Teenage Dream. _Blaine's eyes flash at Kurt and a slow smile appears. It's incredibly sexy, and a little too much for Kurt to handle. He doesn't even think about it as he leans in and captures his boyfriend's lips in a kiss. It honestly doesn't hit him, what he's doing, until he feels their mouths pressed together, and then he's kind of embarrassed because there are people all around. He tries to pull back but Blaine's hand is suddenly curled around his neck, holding him in place. Kurt smiles against his mouth and relaxes back into the kiss.

"That was nice," Blaine says against his mouth when the kiss ends.

Kurt considers going for seconds when a voice above them says, "Mind if we join you?"

They look up to see Eddy and Carl standing over them, smiling. Blaine immediately waves to the seats across from them. "Not at all. Please."

"Kurt and Blaine, right?" Eddy asks as he and Carl sit.

"Yes, sir." Blaine leans forward once more to engage in conversation as Kurt picks up his water and takes a sip. He and Carl smile at each other in greeting.

As Blaine and Eddy launch into a discussion of the Warblers recent performances, Kurt finds himself studying the older couple across from them. He still thinks Eddy looks a little like Santa Claus, or maybe the captain of some whaling ship. Carl, on the other hand, is very tall and slender with salt and pepper hair and a slim mustache. They're dressed in matching colors again, though Eddy is wearing a black shirt and red jacket, and Carl is wearing a red shirt and black jacket. It's kind of adorable, if incredibly cheesy, and Kurt decides he likes Eddy and Carl quite a bit.

Carl catches his eye and leans forward, and it's only then that Kurt realizes at least ten minutes have passed, with neither of them saying anything while Eddy and Blaine are still engaged in conversation. "Sorry about Eddy," Carl says over the music, pointing at his husband. "He tends to think he's the life of the party."

And Kurt can't help but smirk as he nods in completely understanding. "I sympathize, trust me."

They both laugh, causing Eddy and Blaine to pause their conversation long enough to look at them. Blaine eyes Kurt curiously, but he just smiles in response and shakes his head. He'll share later.

Eventually, Blaine and Eddy seem to realize there are two other people present. Blaine leans in to Kurt. "They're celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary."

Kurt looks over at Eddy and Carl, eyes wide. He smiles as he says, "Congratulations! That's… wow."

"Officially married five years," Eddy tells them, taking Carl's hand. "But together twenty-five."

Kurt doesn't even attempt to imagine what it would have been like twenty-five years ago. To love and support someone else through all of that time, while having to deal with your own issues. He glances at Blaine, wondering at their capacity for such a thing. He's not foolish enough to let himself believe that this could be forever, but it's a nice thought, and honestly he could do far worse than getting to spend the rest of his life with someone like Blaine.

_Okay, Kurt. You need to stop thinking about things like this_. If he's not careful, he'll start picking out china patterns the moment they get back to Ohio. Weddings. They're his Kryptonite.

He returns his focus to the conversation as Eddy describes their ceremony in Massachusetts. Blaine seems so intent on the details and Kurt thinks he doesn't even realize it when he reaches out and takes Kurt's hand. It's so sweet, and Kurt thinks that the overwhelming feeling of love he has for this boy is sometimes too much to deal with.

When he glances up, he finds Carl watching him silently, and the man gives him a smile and a nod like he understands. Kurt flushes and drops his gaze back down to where Blaine's hand is wrapped around his own.

"Well, if you will excuse us." Eddy gets to his feet and holds his hand out to Carl. "I've got an urge to dance."

"You always have that urge." Carl rolls his eyes as he gets up and follows him to the dance floor.

Blaine and Kurt are quiet as they watch them dance to _Staying Alive_. They've obviously had lessons because they look like pros, Eddy spinning Carl and moving around him, slipping between the other couples as they dance.

"They're pretty awesome," Blaine remarks.

"Yeah." Kurt glances over at Blaine, and can't stop himself from saying, "We're pretty awesome, too."

Blaine's smile is immediate and beautiful. It's enough to make Kurt lean over and kiss him again. _Staying Alive_ ends, and the lead singer of Sipra invites all of the couples out onto the floor as they begin playing _Every Breath You Take_.

"_Every breath you take and every move you make  
Every bond you break  
Every step you take, I'll be watching you"_

Blaine stands suddenly and holds out his hand. "C'mon. Dance with me."

"W-what? Here?"

"No. On one of the lifeboats!" Blaine rolls his eyes. "Of course _here_. C'mon."

Kurt actually has trouble getting to his feet. He feels like his legs are made of lead. And everything else in him is trembling, shaking, thrumming with a steady acknowledgment of what's about to happen—_Blaine's going to dance with me_! He's terrified and excited, and oh so close to tears as Blaine leads him out onto the dance floor, pushing through some of the couples until they're near the center.

"_Every single day and every word you say  
Every game you play _

_Every night you stay, I'll be watching you_"

There's an awkward moment where they both move to take the lead, and then just laugh.

"I'll lead this time." Blaine lifts their hands and slips his arm around Kurt's waist. "The next time you ask me to dance, you can lead."

It seems like a fair compromise. Kurt smiles at his boyfriend as Blaine pulls him close. He slips his own arm over Blaine's shoulder and it isn't anything like dancing with Finn where they could have fit another person in the space between them. Their bodies are pressed together. Blaine's an incredibly strong lead, indicating with the slight pressure of his hand at the small of Kurt's back just where he wants him to move.

"_Oh can't you see you belong to me?  
How my poor heart aches with every step you take  
Every move you make and every vow you break  
Every smile you fake  
Every claim you stake, I'll be watching you_ "

Standing this close, with neither of them slumped over, makes the slight difference in height between them a bit more pronounced. It makes Kurt smile, the idea of dating something smaller than him, and he really likes being able to stare down into Blaine's eyes. As if reading his thoughts, Blaine suddenly lifts up on his tiptoes—making him just barely taller—and wriggles his eyebrows in question. Kurt laughs.

"_Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace  
I dream at night  
I can only see your face  
I look around but it's you I can't replace  
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace  
I keep crying baby, baby please_"

As the song continues, they find a way to press closer. Kurt ends up tucking his head against Blaine's shoulder, and closes his eyes, and just lets Blaine guide him around the floor. He kind of wishes his dad were there to see this, to see him dancing with his boyfriend in a public place with other couples all around them. _Couples_. He smiles at the word and tightens his hold on Blaine, and Blaine quietly responds with tightening his own. And then Blaine begins singing along softly, whispering into Kurt's ear.

"_Oh can't you see you belong to me?  
How my poor heart aches with every step you take  
Every move you make  
And every vow you break  
Every smile you fake  
Every claim you stake, I'll be watching you_"

Kurt turns his head, pressing his face into Blaine's neck as his boyfriend continues to softly sing the words to him. Kurt smiles against the skin beneath his lips.

The song ends far too quickly for Kurt's happiness. He hopes for another slow one but the band doesn't cooperate, switching instead to _Hot and Cold_. Well, it's not _Teenage Dream_ but it's still a good one. He doesn't let go of Blaine's hand as he turns to move off the dance floor, only to be waylaid by an attack!Kendrick, who practically throws himself on Kurt.

"We've been looking for you guys!" He waves a hand behind him where Nick, Jeff, Flint, Galen, Jeremiah and David are following.

"Oh?" Kurt refrains from saying "_We've been hiding from you_".

"Come on!" Kendrick grabs Kurt and Blaine's free hands, tugging them back toward the dance floor as he starts bouncing to the music. "Let's dance!"

The other boys are pushing them along, pretty much taking over the dance floor with their antics, David and Galen displaying some pretty impressive moves while the rest of them seem to be having fun. Blaine rolls his eyes when Kurt looks at him, smiles and shrugs in response like _why not_? Kurt could answer why not quite easily—because everything had been romantic and peaceful and perfect, and seriously, was it that difficult to get away from the Warblers for an entire evening on a nine hundred foot long ship with twelve decks? Blaine is still near him though, and the infectious excitement of the other boys is hard to resist.

Occasionally some of the boys grab a girl or two to dance with, but mostly they just monopolize the center of the floor as a group, calling out song requests and expressing their appreciation of the band's talent. Kurt gets two more slow dances with Blaine and even one with Kendrick while Blaine is grabbed by some middle-aged woman who thinks he's "just the cutest thing ever!" Kurt and Kendrick laugh at the blush that appears on Blaine's face, and like the mature boy he is, he sticks his tongue out at them. They stay on the dance floor until they are forced to leave when it's eighteen and over only at eleven.

Unfortunately, Blaine and Kurt have company as they head back to their staterooms. Curfew is at midnight, and while they're all fairly certain Mr. Price will never actually do a room check, they're still waiting for Mr. Hummel to do so. Even Kurt kind of expects it.

They linger outside Kurt's door, holding hands, waiting for the other boys to disappear into their rooms, but they're all purposely being jerks, making kissing noises and calling out encouragement to just get it over with. Blaine rolls his eyes and whispers, "Sorry about them," before he leans in and kisses Kurt anyway, to whistles, catcalls and applause.

When he pulls back, Kurt has taken hold of his tie and is just kind of tugging on it, giving Blaine a smile. "I don't mind so much," he says with a smile. "It's kind of worth it."

Grinning, Blaine kisses him again before removing his tie from Kurt's fingers and disappearing down the corridor.

Humming _I Could Have Danced All Night_, Kurt slides his passcard into the door, flips off Flint who is pointing and laughing from two doors down and steps into his stateroom.


	11. Chapter 11

_Woohoo! We are almost through this thing! Four more chapters to go plus the Epilogue! And then my life will be returned to me! Thanks again for all of your lovely reviews. Love getting the alert each and every time in my email!_

_Warning for the ridiculous amount of fluff ahead. And honestly, it's not going to go away in the next chapter – in fact, that one might be worse. Let's call it the calm before the storm. Also, fun side note: The event that occurs in the beach bar in this chapter did happen during my vacation. Not the Warblers response to it, but everything leading up to it. I had the pleasure of witnessing it with the a cappella group from the ship. It was far more entertaining than it should have been._

_Enjoy!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"_Don't stop me now I'm having such a good time  
I'm having a ball don't stop me now  
If you wanna have a good time  
Just give me a call  
Don't stop me now ('Cause I'm having a good time)  
Don't stop me now (Yes I'm having a good time)  
I don't wanna stop at all_

La la la la laaaa  
La la la la  
La la laa laa laa laaa  
La la laa la la la la la laaa"

"Better," Wes says, nodding and smiling in Flint's direction. He glances over his shoulder at Jared. "Could do to hear a little more out of you. Kendrick, your steps were totally off. Try to keep up with the rest of us next time."

When Wes turns away, Kendrick starts making faces at the back of his head. David points a warning finger at him.

This is the way rehearsal has been going all morning. The boys seem restless and impatient. The singing is fine but there is always something a little off, and when the council members call them on it, sometimes tempers flare. Kurt is waiting for inevitable time out to be called with the way some of them are behaving. He, of course, had made it perfectly through Rio, and well, there was no point in mentioning Blaine. He's as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always, giving 110% and all of that. He's like a sports cliché in a tailored suit—someone who no doubt has a great future as a motivational speaker selling self-help books on tour and telling people "_You can do it_!". It's a tip toward the ironic side of inevitable that this is the boy Kurt would fall in love with. The male version of Mary Poppins, but without the umbrella.

Kurt stifles a yawn, having stayed up too late telling Finn all about his evening with Blaine—dinner, dancing first with Blaine and then being joined by the others, even about the argument they'd had over Blaine not telling him about dating Kendrick. Finn had only fallen asleep a few times during Kurt's recitation, and Kurt had thrown pillows at him each time to wake him back up. This was why he needed Mercedes. She would appreciate hearing about his adventures in having a boyfriend.

"Jeff!" Wes calls out. "You're up!"

Jeff out in front with Here Comes the Sun is one of Kurt's favorite arrangements. It's a lot of fun to sing, Jeff is adorably happy and bouncy through the whole thing, and just such an upbeat tune that he can't help but smile through it, especially when they all start clapping with "_sun, sun, sun here it comes_". Okay, so there could possibly be other factors going on, like he totally thinks it's a commentary on his life at the moment, and there's Blaine beside him, singing and smiling right along with him, and occasionally glancing over at Kurt with those _looks_ he likes to give that send Kurt's heart into palpitations. So yeah, for all Kurt knows this arrangement could totally suck, but in his opinion, it's pretty fantastic.

"_Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting  
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear  
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,  
and I say it's all right  
It's all right_"

Okay, so maybe he and Blaine just sang the last verse to one another. Kurt doubts anyone actually noticed—

"Blaine, Kurt. Would you mind singing to the audience and not each other a little more often, please? I really don't want to have to mention it again…"

"Sorry."

"Sorry." Kurt flushes with his apology.

It's still something he is struggling with—the fact that he and Blaine dating is more of a non-issue with the group than it is with him. Wes scolds, and Thad and David gently reprimand with regards to their loss of focus on occasion, but that's pretty much it. The initial teasing, which Kurt hasn't seen as anything other than friends teasing friends for getting together, has subsided. Kurt feels like jumping up and down on the stage, waving his arms wildly and screaming _But don't you get it? Blaine's my boyfriend_! And yet everyone else is like, _yeah, so_? Were this New Directions, they'd still be facing at least a gay joke a day from Santana, and Kurt shudders to think of what would come out of Puck's mouth. He doesn't even bother thinking about the reaction from those outside of New Directions…

Once they make it through the set once, Mr. Price comes up to talk with Wes, Thad and David for a moment, and then there's some shuffling of song order, and a few changes in their dance steps—for _Don't Stop Me Now_ and _Rio_, they suggest more freestyle dancing like they do during _Teenage Dream._ They decide to switch up the parts for _You've Lost That Loving Feeling_, so that Blaine, Nick, Jeremiah and David each take their turns through the lead vocals. Kurt's a little annoyed at not being given a part—he likes Nick, Jeremiah and David a lot, but his voice is far superior to each of them.

_Part of the team, part of the team_, he mentally chants to himself. He tells himself to remember that he's the newest Warbler, and he can't just expect to be handed solos left and right. He got _Rio_, and for now that should be enough. After all, it's more than he ever got in New Directions, and however promised the solo may have been for Sectionals, Kurt honestly never would have held out hope that had he stayed a McKinley, he would have ended up singing it. He likes Mr. Schue, he misses Mr. Schue, but sometimes he thinks his old glee teacher has the narrowest focus of any person he's ever met.

When practice ends, the guys decide to get breakfast while the council members and Mr. Price remain in the theater; Wes, David and Thad are arguing over something—Kurt can't quite make it out—and he's apparently trying to keep peace between them.

"So, do I get to see Kurt Hummel in swim trunks again?" Blaine asks as they walk with the others through the ship and up the stairs toward the Ocean Café. They're holding hands, arms swinging slightly between them.

"If you're good." Kurt smiles and moves in close, and Blaine meets him for a quick kiss.

"Kurt and Blaine, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S—"

"If you finish that song, Kendrick," Blaine begins. "I'm going to throw you overboard."

Kurt glances back at the Warblers who winks at him with a smile.

Blaine follows Kurt's gaze. "I swear you never made it past Kindergarten."

"Yeah, well." Kendrick slips past them, taking the steps two at a time, which is kind of impressive for his height. "At least it's better than the old folk's home, Anderson. How's that going for you, by the way?"

"Want me to throw him over the railing, Blaine?" Jared asks as he stands behind Kendrick.

Kendrick gives a very fake shudder of fear.

"It wouldn't be worth the murder charge," Blaine tells him.

"I think it would…" There's enough of a threat in his tone that Kendrick's eyebrows raise, and he darts past Jared, sprinting up the steps.

Kurt glances over at Blaine but notices that his boyfriend just looks vaguely amused. "I don't agree, you know."

Blaine looks over at him. "Hmm. What?"

"I don't agree with Kendrick. I don't think you're too uptight or anything like that. I don't even know why he thinks it."

"Probably because I rarely find any of his antics funny." Blaine shrugs. "Our personalities clash. I don't let him get to me. It's not like we aren't friends. He's just as important to me as anyone else in the Warblers." He looks at Kurt and smiles. "Present company excepted, of course. You go beyond important."

Kurt returns his smile and leans in to him. Releasing his hand, Blaine slides his arm around Kurt's waist instead, pulling him closer. They enter the restaurant like that, heads bent together, Blaine telling him about Kendrick's boyfriend Michael, and how his easy-going manner is apparently the only reason he hasn't killed Kendrick yet. Kurt sees a couple of people look their way, but he doesn't care. Blaine's full attention is on him, and his arm is warm and comforting around his waist, and when Kurt laughs at a story Blaine tells him about Michael once duct-taping Kendrick's mouth shut during a movie night, Blaine rewards him with a quick kiss.

As they make their way through the buffet, sometimes grabbing one another's hand, sometimes nudging shoulders or leaning in to whisper in one another's ear, Kurt finds himself realizing that when Blaine it there, the rest of the world doesn't matter. When they're together, when Blaine is looking at him and smiling at him, a curtain seems to fall, closing them off from the rest of the world. Kurt only cares about the boy beside him, about what _he_ does and what _he_ says and what _he_ thinks. He cares that Blaine looks at him like he's perfect and clever and amazing and talented, and the voices around them turn into white noise, meaningless and unimportant.

He wonders if all love is like this as he watches Blaine catch a roll that Flint tosses to him from a few feet away. And then he thinks of Eddy and Carl, and how long they've been together, and what they've had to face to be together, and he thinks it probably is.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Magazine beach in Grenada is one of those long stretches of sandy white beaches with too-perfect waves washing ashore and swaying palm trees. It's not overly crowded, and the Warblers have a large section of the beach mostly to themselves. Everyone chose to come today, including Mr. Price who is asleep in a lounge beneath a shady palm, an empty margarita glass beside him. If there is one thing Kurt has learned about their faculty adviser, it is that the man has no trouble with relaxing. But then, he'd also spent the majority of the morning trying to mediate the argument between the council members over whether or not they could forego the uniforms for the Thursday night performance for something more casual and fun. David was vehemently for it, Wes was vehemently against it, and Thad was abstaining, which Flint commented to Kurt was due to the fact that Thad was neither Democrat nor Republican but rather a staunch Independent. So Kurt doesn't really begrudge Mr. Price the drink or the nap.

His dad and Carole had waded in the water together for a short time but now they were seated on the outside deck of the Aquarium restaurant, not too far from where Kurt was seated with Blaine, Kendrick, Nick and Jeff at the beach bar. The bartender doesn't seem to mind that they're just sipping on sodas and splitting a plate of nachos. There isn't much conversation going on because the five boys are kind of focused on the bar's entertainment—a local guy dressed in a ridiculous suit and fedora considering the heat, singing a medley of soft-rock tunes straight out of _insert your neighborhood physician's office here_. They're actually all watching with a tinge of horror and disbelief, because they're apparently the only people in the bar who get what is actually going on.

"I'm most impressed by how much the guy is into it," Nick remarks before leaning past Kurt to grab another nacho. "Dude has no shame whatsoever."

"Well," Blaine looks around the bar, "He's got a captive audience, and they're kind of into it without actually paying any attention."

"Mostly because they're inebriated," Jeff says before slurping loudly through his straw. Jeff uses words like 'inebriated' instead of 'drunk'. It amuses the hell out of Kurt.

"Hey, guys!" Finn greets as he appears between Blaine and Kurt's shoulders. "Oooh! Nachos!" He reaches to grab one when Kurt slaps his hand away. "Ow!"

"Did you ask?" Kurt fixes him with a glare. "Blaine paid for these, you know."

Finn looks hurt. He glances over at Blaine, who unfortunately looks completely sympathetic. Kurt thinks he really needs to stop that. "Can I have some nachos, Blaine?" Finn asks miserably.

Blaine smiles. "Help yourself," and pushes the plate closer to him.

"Thanks, dude." Finn just stands there as he begins to eat.

Kurt has to lean forward to catch Blaine's eye. "I think we're going to need more." He waves a hand behind him where more of the Warblers are appearing, wet from swimming, sand clinging to them from their knees down.

Nodding, Blaine asks the bartender if they could get two more orders of nachos; Nick adds a plate of sliders to that and Kendrick requests some spicy wings. Kurt thinks, _well at least celery comes with wings_. He really needs to work on the Warblers eating habits.

They mostly crowd around the bar, though a few grab the small two-person tables behind them. Finn finds it highly appropriate to remain standing between Kurt and his boyfriend. The murderous looks Kurt keeps sending in his direction aren't even beginning to make an impact. He eventually realizes he's going to just have to have a little talk with his stepbrother.

The singer begins a rendition of _Don't Worry, Be Happy_. It sounds nothing like the last song. Nick groans, as Blaine shakes his head. Kurt says, "I honestly can't believe he's getting away with it."

"Getting away with what?" Finn asks with a mouthful of nacho before he nods his thanks to the bartender for the Coke he's given.

"The singer," Blaine responds as Kurt just stares at Finn, mortified. "And his," Blaine makes air quotes, "singing."

Finn glances over, looking confused. He shrugs. "I don't get it. He's pretty good."

Kurt throws his hands in the air and sighs loudly. Blaine is a little more patient, which is one of the reasons Kurt loves him so much. "Look at him, Finn," he says. "Just look and listen."

Finn looks back over at the singer, watching him for a silent moment or two. Finally, the comprehension seems to set in and his eyes widen. He says a little too loudly, "He's totally lip-synching!"

"And the boy finally gets it," Kendrick remarks before ordering a third soda.

"It's not even his own voice pre-recorded," Nick says. "We've heard at least three different singers so far."

Jeff adds, "I think this song makes four."

Finn lowers his voice, "Are we the only ones' who've noticed?"

The question amuses Kurt since, you know, Blaine had to point it out to him. They all nod. Jeff uses the word 'inebriated' again. They're all quiet once more as they resume watching what has become to them more entertaining than anything they've seen in a long time. Kurt's a little bored with it because, really, it's offensive, someone pretending they can sing and stealing from others when they really _can't_. He works on picking the cheese off a nacho before eating the plain chip. Beneath the bar, he reaches out to the side with his foot, tapping Blaine in the shin lightly. He catches his boyfriend glancing over at him with a smile in front of Finn, and then he feels a tap against his own shin in response. It's the stupidest, silliest, most childish thing _ever_, and Kurt can't repress the smile that appears. They continue to do this back and forth through the next few minutes as the performer begins a new song.

Its Celine Dion's _Because You Loved Me_ sung by the same guy they'd heard on a few songs earlier, and Kurt kind of wants to murder both the singer and the performer for their disrespect. Also, Kurt finds himself listening to the lyrics, and he can't _not_ look over at Blaine and think of him, and wow, _when did he get so sappy_?

And then it happens. The song reaches the chorus:

"_You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I c-c-c-ouldn't… _

_c-c-c-couldn't…"_

The boys look on in growing amusement as the performer panics—it's written all over his face. The bartender turns and starts speaking to him rapidly in a mixture of French and what Kurt has picked up as Creole, waving his arms around and looking as if he might at any moment burst into an apoplectic fit. The performer starts screaming back to him, and then as one they both dive for the CD player behind the bar.

The patrons, who have finally caught on to just what has been going on this entire time, start booing and throwing wadded up napkins. There's not any real anger there; mostly some annoyance and general amusement. There's a lot of laughter, and Kurt almost, _almost _feels bad for the guy. After all, he got all dressed up for this performance of his, sweating in the heat and putting all his heart into the songs he wasn't really singing. The bartender looks like he's at a loss as his entertainment grabs his CD and pretty much bolts for the door, wadded napkins following his exit.

Blaine waves his hands at the Warblers around him, getting their attention. "Guys, I think we could probably help out here."

Kendrick is practically bouncing in his seat as he flashes one of his blinding smiles, which is really his best feature. "Oh! We so can! Lead on, front man!"

Nodding, Blaine slips off the bar stool and wanders over to Nick, while waving Holden, Braden, Galen and Wes to join him. Kurt spins on his seat to watch as the boys' converse before they all seem to nod in agreement. Blaine moves back in his direction, stopping beside him with a little smile.

"You gonna join in?"

"Only if it isn't horribly embarrassing," he teases, and their hands brush against each other for a moment.

"Well, I'm not guaranteeing anything," Blaine says with a wink before he makes his way past Finn and gives a little nod toward the Warblers.

Holden begins the beat behind them, and it doesn't take Kurt long to recognize the song—he'll never admit this to anyone outside of Mercedes, and maybe Blaine now, but he _really_ liked "Cocktail".

"_Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya  
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama  
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go  
Jamaica_"

Blaine takes over from there.

"_Off the Florida Keys  
There's a place called Kokomo  
That's where you wanna go to get away from it all_"

He makes his way over to Burt and Carole's table, holding out his hand to Carole who laughs as she takes it and lets him lead her out into the center of the restaurant to dance.

"_Bodies in the sand  
Tropical drink melting in your hand  
We'll be falling in love  
To the rhythm of a steel drum band  
Down in Kokomo_" 

Kurt finds himself joining in with the rest of the Warblers, as around them the patrons seem completely thrilled by the turn of events, joining Blaine and Carole on the makeshift dance floor, and many of them singing along.

"_Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya  
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama  
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go_

"_Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo  
We'll get there fast  
And then we'll take it slow_"

Burt ends up following his wife and son's boyfriend out onto the floor, tapping Blaine on the shoulder and shooing him away to dance with his wife.

"_That's where we wanna go  
Way down to Kokomo_

_To Martinique, that Monserrat mystique"_

Kurt laughs in the midst of singing when as Blaine, David, Wes and Nick begin dancing in time to the music together, Finn is suddenly there joining in, singing along, apparently inviting himself in as an honorary Warbler.

_"We'll put out to sea  
And we'll perfect our chemistry  
By and by we'll defy a little bit of gravity  
Afternoon delight  
cocktails and moonlit nights_

_That dreamy look in your eye  
Give me a tropical contact high  
Way down in Kokomo"_

Ever the outrageous flirt and charmer, Blaine makes his way through the crowd as he sings, dancing here and there with various ladies until, inevitably, a boyfriend or husband comes up to chase him away. There is one table of twenty-something single women who become absolutely giddy when Blaine dances and sings his way over to them, and one of them actually yanks him into a dance. Kurt actually stops singing because he's too busy covering his laughter as his boyfriend looks completely baffled at the woman clinging to him as she leads him through the dance.

"_Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya  
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama  
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go_

Ooo I wanna take you down to Kokomo  
We'll get there fast  
And then we'll take it slow  
That's where we wanna go  
Way down to Kokomo

Port Au Prince I wanna catch a glimpse"

Blaine finally extricates himself from the his dance partner, and almost sprints his way back to the center, and safety, of the Warblers and Finn, who claps him on the shoulder and laughs at him as they continue singing.

_"Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo  
We'll get there fast  
And then we'll take it slow  
That's where we wanna go  
Way down to Kokomo_

Aruba, Jamaica ooo I wanna take ya  
To Bermuda, Bahama come on pretty mama  
Key Largo, Montego baby why don't we go

Ooo I want to take you down to Kokomo…" 

As the song comes to an end, the bar patrons break out into applause. Kurt looks on with what he could only describe as pride if someone were to ask as Carole leans in to kiss Blaine's cheek and the bartender walks over and shakes his hand before thanking the rest of the group. Blaine is looking back at him, smiling and winking, and Kurt finds himself hoping that what he's feeling will never end.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"I can't believe the bartender gave us free drinks the rest of the day," Kurt says, sipping on his Diet Coke before setting it carefully into the sand next to his towel.

"We saved him from losing most of his customers, I think." Blaine is lying beside him, resting back on his elbows as he stares out at the surf. "Apparently, the guy who was performing was a friend of a friend. Swore up and down that his plan was fool proof. Heh."

"Well, _you_ were amazing, as always," Kurt tells him with a smile as he gazes down at his boyfriend.

Blaine actually blushes a little, which makes him even more beautiful. "Everyone seemed to be having fun with it," he says, neatly steering the conversation away from being about him. It's a habit that Kurt plans on one day breaking him of. "I was surprised to see Finn join in. Maybe we should steal him away from New Directions."

"Rachel would come after you. And probably so would Mr. Schue. Plus, Finn would be miserable at Dalton. The uniforms, the lack of girls. He wouldn't handle it at all." Kurt stretches out across the towel on his side, facing Blaine. He begins drawing lines in the sand between them as his boyfriend glances over at him.

"And you? How are you handling Dalton?"

Kurt shrugs. "You know I miss my friends. And New Directions… well, it's special. But then," he looks up and meets Blaine's gaze, "so are the Warblers. I've seen sides of them this last week that, well, maybe I would have been better off not seeing." They smile at each other, and Kurt moves his hand across the breach between them, laying his fingers against Blaine's wrist. "And there's you, of course."

"Even if you weren't at Dalton, Kurt, you and I… " Blaine trails off as if searching for the right words. Then he says, "This wouldn't change."

"Oh, I know." Kurt nods. "I wouldn't _let_ it. Still, it is nice getting to see you whenever I want to, knowing you're just down the hall, or in the classroom next to mine, or sitting beside me at lunch. Wow. It may be impossible to keep my hands off of you when we get back."

Blaine laughs and he twists his wrist over so that they can hold hands.

"I really want to kiss you right now," Kurt tells him honestly.

Kurt knows they could; there aren't many locals around at the moment. The laws in Grenada aren't much better than anywhere else in the West Indies, and while he doesn't have a fear of being dragged off to prison (they passed the prison on the way to the beach, and it was tiny, and the driver admitted crime wasn't very rampant on the island), he does fear what kind of culture is created around a place where homosexuality might as well be the same as murder. Or worse. It's bad enough that they get treated like something other than human in a country where at least discussions are starting to take place. What's in like when the discussion about the discussion hasn't even occurred? He isn't going to put his family through that on vacation, he isn't going to put the Warblers through that, and he sure as hell would rather he and Blaine not go through it right now, thank you very much.

Still, he wants to kiss his boyfriend. Very much. He even considers suggesting they make themselves scarce for a short while. Maybe into the copse of palm trees behind them.

"We've only got an hour to go, and then we head back to the ship," Blaine reminds him, laying flat on his back, and resting his other arm over his eyes. His fingers tighten around Kurt's. "Lay down with me.

Kurt does as he's told, but he scoots a little closer to the edge of his towel, and he stays on his side, resting his head on his arm as he gazes at his boyfriend. "Can you believe I actually got a little color yesterday?" He says after a moment of silence. "SPF 100, and the sun is still trying to damage my skin. If I get wrinkly, it's your fault."

Blaine laughs softly but is still hidden beneath his arm. "Wrinkles are totally worth it to see you, Kurt. You have an amazing body."

It's Kurt's turn to blush, and though Blaine can't see him, he turns his face, burying it into his arm for a moment until he can catch his breath. It's wonderful, and yet so very difficult to hear. He believes Blaine's words, and yet at the same time, has trouble accepting them. He can't explain it even to himself but hearing such things when he'd just started convincing himself that he never would is hard to get past. He's still having trouble not refuting Blaine's words with something sarcastic and completely self-deprecating.

"Hey." Blaine squeezes his hand briefly. "Why so quiet?"

"No reason." Kurt turns back to face Blaine, and he finds he's being watched, Blaine's arm now crooked behind his head. "You're getting really tan, you know."

"Is this the part where you remind _me_ about wrinkles?"

Kurt laughs. "_No_. It's the part where I tell you how I think it makes you even more gorgeous than you already are. When your skin darkens it makes your eyes more honey-colored."

His boyfriend's eyes widen a bit at that, and there's the heightened color of pink in his cheeks again. "And here I thought _I_ held the market on romantic sap."

"Don't be a dick." Kurt pulls his hand away from Blaine's to smack him in the shoulder. "Just for that, I've changed my mind. I don't want to kiss you so much anymore." He rolls on to his back and throws his arm over his eyes in the same manner Blaine had.

He hears Blaine moving beside him, but he ignores him, smiling a little at how easily the banter comes between them. He isn't certain when it happened, but Blaine has become his best friend, and while one half of his heart breaks at the idea of replacing Mercedes in that spot, the other is singing at the thought of how right and perfect and wonderful it is that they have each other.

The sun seems to go away. Curious, Kurt pulls his arm back to find Blaine leaning over him, staring down into his face with what could only be described as a wicked smile.

"Hello," his boyfriend says, continuing to smile that smile.

Kurt's heart is racing. Every time he thinks there is no way this boy could make him feel more topsy-turvy and out of sorts, he does. It's like some sort of built-in magic with him or something. He's so very close, but not touching Kurt in the least. And wow, that's all Kurt wants right now. Blaine's hands on him. Blaine's mouth on his. But Blaine just keeps staring down at him, smiling wickedly, and occasionally his eyes will linger on Kurt's lips before sliding back up to Kurt's eyes. He finds himself squirming slightly, uncomfortable, overheated, itchy, restless. And Blaine is just looking at his lips again, and then he licks his own—soft pink tongue darting out to trace along his lower lip—and oh, Kurt hasn't had the pleasure of experiencing that yet, the feel of Blaine's tongue in his mouth. And he really, _really_ wants to.

"So," Blaine begins, and his tone sounds resolute about something. "I think… I'm going to get in the water."

And then he's pulling away from Kurt, _laughing_, as he gets to his feet and runs down the beach toward the surf. Kurt actually lets loose a tiny cry of frustration as he sits up, clenching sand between his fists and throwing it outward.

"You're a _tease_!" He yells out, and he can still hear Blaine's laughter, and oh, Blaine is _so not_ getting _any_ of Kurt Hummel the rest of the cruise!

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Okay, so maybe Kurt has less self-control than he thought because he lets Blaine steal a kiss in the back of the bus the moment they take their seats. And he's kind of forgotten all about deciding he wasn't going to let Blaine touch him again for the rest of the cruise, though he hasn't forgotten about the teasing, and he totally plans on getting back at him somehow. Except, Kurt's never teased anyone like that in his life, and he isn't totally certain he knows how. He'd feel ridiculous if he thought he was teasing Blaine, only whatever he was doing wasn't turning Blaine on at all.

He really wants to know he has the ability to affect his boyfriend.

He's thinking about all of this far too much.

When they get back to the boat, they all linger around the elevators on Deck One, discussing what to do for dinner. It's the only night they don't have a performance, and the idea of putting on their uniforms to have dinner as a group in the dining hall is met with a resounding chorus of groans. Mr. Price agrees, and Wes grudgingly does as well, but reminds everyone they still have a rehearsal to get through before dinner, and he expects them to perform as well as they did in the Aquarium bar earlier that afternoon.

Once the decision is made, Burt tells Kurt and Finn that he and Carole have decided to forego the dining room as well, and tells them that they have the evening free to enjoy themselves. Kurt glances over at Blaine, who is waiting for him beside the elevators while the rest of the Warblers fight to get into the first elevator to open.

As his dad and stepmom move to get in line for an elevator as well, Finn stops Kurt from joining Blaine. He looks up, a little annoyed. "Finn?"

"I just… well, that is…" Finn looks like he wants to say something but doesn't quite know how. He shifts from one foot to the other. "Holden and I were thinking about maybe going to that teen party they throw in the Extreme 11 lounge tonight. He says there's lot of girls there."

"Uh huh." Kurt has no idea why his stepbrother is telling him this. Does he want him and Blaine to go to?

"Well, I mean, we'll probably watch a movie first or something but the party goes until one—I mean, I know curfew is at midnight, but we'll be out at least until then."

Kurt crosses his arms over his chest and begins tapping his foot. "And?"

Finn looks at him like he's the densest person on the planet. "Holden and I are going to be gone until at least midnight…"

"I heard you the first time, Finn."

"Dude." Finn shakes his head. "The rooms. They'll be empty. Ours. Holden and Blaine's. Whichever. I just… thought you might want to know."

Kurt starts to say something, and then closes his mouth quickly. Oh.

_Oh_.

And it takes every ounce of his control not to throw himself at Finn and hug him until his eyes pop out because, really, this is right up there with everything Finn did for him at the wedding. This simple little thing means so much because Finn has actually thought about it, actually considered that maybe Blaine and Kurt need some alone time together, and he's totally cool with it.

"Thank you, Finn." Kurt beams and Finn seems to relax now that Kurt has finally caught on.

"Don't mention it," his stepbrother tells him, then adds, "Like, _ever_. Please."

Kurt laughs, nods and spins away, hurrying over to Blaine's side.

"You're not going to believe this," he says as his boyfriend presses his hand against his back and guides him into an open elevator. He leans close to Blaine and whispers, "We have either of our rooms available to us until midnight. Just us. No interruptions."

Blaine doesn't seem as excited as Kurt expected him to be. He glances at Kurt, not smiling and just kind of nods. _Well, that's odd_, Kurt thinks, but tries not to let it bother him. Maybe like Kurt, it's just going to take a moment or two for it to sink in for Blaine.

They make it through rehearsal and Kurt thinks that like him everyone will be very grateful when they're back at Dalton and rehearsals return to only one hour a day for five days a week instead of two rehearsals a day, with some extending past two hours. Luckily, this one only lasts an hour and every song goes well. He and Blaine focus more on their nonexistent audience than each other, though they still exchange the occasional glance and smile, and they allow themselves to have all the fun they want on their duet. Not even Wes chides them for that.

As they leave the auditorium, Kurt finds himself suggesting, "So, I thought instead of eating at the buffet with everyone, maybe we could just order room service?"

Blaine stops and looks at him.

Kurt shifts uncomfortably. "What… what's wrong?"

"I just… "Blaine runs his hand through his hair and Kurt tries really hard not let it distract him. He's still trying to get used to sans-gel Blaine. His dark curls are impossible not to want to touch. Blaine reaches out and takes Kurt's hand, tugging him off to a corner where they can be alone and not overheard by nosey Warblers. "I just need your promise that you're not trying to rush things, Kurt. I mean, being able to spend time alone with you this evening is great, but I want to make certain we're on the same page here."

"Rush thin—Oh." Kurt flushes and drops his gaze to their hands. He worries his lower lip a moment before shaking his head. "Honestly, Blaine, I hadn't even thought… I mean, yeah, I've thought about it but not for tonight." He brings his gaze up and Blaine's expression has softened. "I really don't even know what I'm capable of right now. Just kissing you still kind of freaks me out and makes me feel wonderful and weird and perfect and anything past that…my head might explode."

"Well, we can't have that." Blaine laughs as he leans up and kisses Kurt's forehead. "I'm glad to hear it. I mean, not that I haven't thought about other things _too_. But I think it's more important that we get comfortable with each other and trust one other. There's still too much potential for us to freak out."

Kurt nods and can't help but quip, "So tonight, we just get to know one another. Tomorrow we can have sex." His face actually flames saying something like that out loud, joke or not.

But Blaine laughs, pulls him close and kisses him. "Yay for taking things slowly!"

They choose Kurt's room because Blaine says Holden is a slob and he's not picking up after him. After perusing the menu, Blaine orders a burger and fries, and Kurt orders a chicken salad. They sit on the bed and browse through the channels on the TV for something to watch. Blaine has the remote and stops on Rachael Ray. Kurt can't stand Rachael Ray and tells him to change it. His boyfriend refuses, saying she's funny and quirky and totally ridiculous, and how can you not like her? Kurt says she's a travesty to the cooking world and gets up to change the channel manually.

Blaine changes it back from the bed.

Kurt looks over his shoulder at him in warning before pressing the button once more.

His boyfriend is an _ass_.

Thirty seconds later and they're wrestling for the remote, Kurt attempting to use his advantage of standing over Blaine to get the upper hand. He pushes him back onto the bed, trapping his hand with the remote and attempts to pry it from his fingers. Blaine uses that moment to tip Kurt off balance, making him fall onto the bed, then rolling him over and pinning him, while waving the remote triumphantly above his head. Kurt wedges a leg between Blaine's legs, curls it around a thigh, and jerks it hard, using the muscles Coach Sylvester and her hours of Cheerios training gave him to throw Blaine off balance, tossing him off the bed. Unfortunately, his own leg is trapped and he goes falling with Blaine, landing with simultaneous "Oof!"'s and laughter on the floor.

"I've still got the remote," Blaine points out as their laughter begins to subside. "And Rachael is still on the TV."

"Mmmm."

Kurt rests his hands on Blaine's chest and leans his chin on them, staring down at his boyfriend. He doesn't say anything more in response, just watches him, and Blaine begins to look nervous. Just when it seems Blaine might try to roll out from under him, Kurt leans in and kisses him, pressing Blaine's head back into the carpet as he deepens the kiss just a bit, hesitantly sliding his tongue along Blaine's lower lip. Blaine moans against his mouth, shifting slightly beneath him, arms moving to wrap around Kurt.

Kurt reaches out to grab the remote Blaine dropped. He pulls back, and sits up, sliding off of Blaine and wriggling the remote in front of him with a smile. "Paybacks, Blaine. Paybacks."

Blaine is muttering unflattering words behind him as Kurt turns and changes the channel. There's a repeat of Real Housewives of Atlanta, which is far more acceptable than Rachael Ray. He leaves it there, half expecting his boyfriend to tackle him in response when there's a knock at the door.

Saved by room service.

They sit side by side on the bed with their backs against the headboard, legs crossed in front of them and their plates balanced on their laps. Blaine briefly gives him hell about choosing Housewives over Rachael, and Kurt tells Blaine that his poor taste in TV is only matched by his poor taste in fashion. Blaine responds by sticking a French Fry _in his ear_. Kurt almost loses his balance as he freaks out at the grease in his ear—not to mention _ewwww_—which would have sent both him and his dinner to the floor.

It takes Blaine three apologies and a promise to never eat fries in Kurt's presence again before he deigns to speak to him once more.

When the show ends, Kurt goes back to flipping channels, finally settling on "Pretty Woman," which is playing on Oxygen. It doesn't take long before the two of them are reciting the dialogue word-for-word and Kurt can't help but love the fact that Blaine knows the movie as well as he does. Kurt teases Blaine for being his "Edward" and Blaine responds that if anyone ever turns Kurt away from a clothing store he is to let Blaine know immediately so he can set fire to the place. Kurt sniffs a little at the idea of not being able to shop, which sends Blaine into a fit of laughter.

It's not long before their empty plates end up on the floor, and they're stretched out on the bed, facing one another, the movie forgotten. Kurt thinks he owes Finn big time for this as he reaches across the small space between them to slide his fingertips lightly across Blaine's lips, pausing and smiling as they're kissed in return.

"How many boyfriends have you had?" Kurt finds himself asking.

Blaine frowns slightly.

"I'm not going to get upset," Kurt hurriedly reassures him. "I'm just… curious, I guess. I just want to know more about you."

Sighing, Blaine takes Kurt's hand in his own, holding it between them. "Two," he says finally. "One at my old school and one at Dalton. And no, I'm not counting the brief, aborted attempt to date Kendrick."

Kurt thinks about this for a moment. "Who at Dalton?"

"You don't know him. He graduated last year."

He can't help but raise a teasing eyebrow. "Oh? Into older men, are we?"

"Shut up!" Blaine kicks him gently, laughing, and their legs somehow end up entwined. "It was just something that happened. It only lasted a few months. He was great guy, right for me at the time, I guess. He made me feel… special."

Kurt tries very hard not to be jealous. He succeeds, for the most part. "What about your first boyfriend? At your old school."

Blaine's gaze turns inward and it's a little frightening how easily Kurt can see him begin to close himself off. He can't take back the question, but he does say, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry. If you don't want to talk about it…"

"I don't." Blaine slowly looks less guarded and he squeezes Kurt's hand. "Not now. Not tonight. Later, I promise. Right now, I just want to be with you, okay? Telling you about him would only ruin tonight."

"I'm sorry," Kurt says again, and means it as he closes the distance between them and kisses Blaine softly.

It is meant to be a quick, apologetic kiss, but Blaine's hand curls around Kurt's neck, pulling him closer, holding him there, and everything about Blaine seems suddenly needy and desperate. Kurt responds in kind, moving closer, until the space between them is gone, and Kurt is leaning over Blaine, hand tentatively pressing against his chest, t-shirt tucked between his fingers. He experiments again, slipping his tongue out to touch Blaine's lips, but this time it's met with Blaine's own and its weird the wetness and how the tongue against his own feels slightly cool, and he can taste the burger Blaine ate. It makes him giggle.

This unfortunately, kind of ends the kissing when Blaine pulls back slightly, brow furrowed. "Wanna let me in on the joke?" he asks voice a little breathless.

"Sorry." Kurt smiles. "Once when I was making out with Brittany, I asked her what boys tasted like and—"

"Wait. Wait. Go back to the part where you were making out with a girl?"

Kurt sighs at being interrupted. "It was to get my dad's attention, okay? I'll tell you all about it sometime. But anyway, I asked her what boys tasted like and she said burgers and dip. And right now, all I can think about is how glad I am you don't taste like dip. But you do taste like burgers, which is funny."

Blaine's looking at him like he's completely lost his mind. "Could we maybe go back to the kissing thing?"

Kurt laughs. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Their lips press together again, and this time when Blaine's tongue slides against his own it's expected and Kurt's no longer thinking about inappropriate past kisses as he slowly gets past the burger to taste Blaine. It's something he'd never be able to explain and really he wouldn't want to because right now it's his and it's personal. He deepens the kiss as he tries to learn more. He explores Blaine's mouth and runs his tongue along his teeth, which feels nothing like touching his own. He loves the hitch in Blaine's breathing as he does this and how Blaine's hands are tangling in the back of his shirt, tugging him closer as Kurt traps his lower lip between his teeth and just sucks on it.

"_God_, Kurt…" Blaine gasps softly and suddenly let's go of his hold on Kurt's shirt, pushing instead against his belly. "Stop… Kurt, slow down."

Kurt blinks and pulls back just a little, still leaning over him. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No—God, no." Blaine laughs, his arms moving back around Kurt's waist reassuringly. "Are you sure you aren't experienced at this?"

Kurt flushes and tucks his face into the space between Blaine's neck and shoulder. "No." His voice is muffled. "I just… really like kissing you." He feels Blaine's fingers moving through his hair, rubbing at the back of his head. The touch gives him the courage to say, "I like the sounds you make."

He can feel Blaine smile and then his lips are pressing against Kurt's ear, and his breath blows against it. Kurt's entire body shudders at the sensation. He makes his own noise in the back of his throat as Blaine continues, teeth grazing over the lobe, tongue sliding along the shell. Kurt whimpers at the sensations Blaine is causing, the blood rushing through him, pounding in his ears and he tries to think of things like his dad walking in on them or Mr. Schuester giving Rachel yet another solo that Kurt should have had, or slushie facials.

And then, because the boy he happens to be dating is an ass, Blaine whispers, "Paybacks," and pulls his mouth away from Kurt's ear. Kurt slides away, burying his face in his pillow and screams.

Blaine is laughing at him because, once more in case someone wasn't listening, Blaine is an ass. Kurt tries to shrug him off as his boyfriend leans over him, sliding his hand along Kurt's back and kissing his neck just below the hairline.

"Sorry," he whispers against Kurt's neck, causing tiny goose bumps to break out along his skin. "Couldn't resist."

Kurt turns his head to the side. "Try next time."

Still chuckling, Blaine moves to lay his head on the pillow beside Kurt, their bodies still tucked together. He traces his finger along Kurt's temple, brushes the bangs off his forehead, leans in and presses a gentle kiss against his lips.

"Want to know something?" he asks against Kurt's mouth.

Kurt closes his eyes and kisses him back, soft, slow, warm and perfect. "What?" he asks after a moment.

"We have all the time in the world." Blaine isn't kissing him now, just speaking quietly, their lips sometimes touching with a word. "I want to know everything about you. So if it seems sometimes that I stop when you want to keep going, it's because I'm afraid I might miss out on something, that we might skip something, that I might not have the chance to memorize everything little thing about you and the moments we spend together."

Kurt opens his eyes. Blaine is so close that Kurt can see each individual long eyelash, the flecks of golds and browns, greens and grays in his eyes; their lips are still just not quite touching. He reaches up with his hand and runs his fingertips over Blaine's cheek, along his jaw, enjoying the scratch of the barely-there stubble.

"How come you always know the right thing to say?" Kurt whispers.

Blaine smiles at him. "Because I have the right person listening."

Kurt returns the smile and tugs Blaine closer until there is no space left between them.

They fall asleep like that until Finn is gently shaking them awake. He looks nervous and like he feels a little bad for intruding, busying himself with getting ready for bed while they say goodnight. Kurt clings to Blaine a little longer than he should at the door because he'd been warm and _oh so comfortable_, and waking up like that with Blaine next to him had been the most wonderful thing ever. He is loathing letting it go.

Blaine seems just as reluctant, but always the responsible one, he gently pries Kurt's hands from his shirt and kisses him briefly. "See you in the morning, okay?"

Kurt nods silently and presses his cheek hard into the door jamb as he watches Blaine disappear down the corridor to his room. He's still afraid that one day he might just wake up from this dream.


	12. Chapter 12

_Sorry this is a bit late from my regular schedule. My beta was having trouble getting to it and just finally got most of it back to me tonight. I really hope to get caught back up over the next few days so this thing can be finished, at the very latest, by Sunday morning. *crosses fingers* _

_More thanks for the wonderful reviews. Some of you are getting long and verbose, and I positively adore it! I will try to get back to those of you with questions as soon as I can but between trying to get this fic whipped out and not completely fail my homework this week, I feel like I need two of me!_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. We get a sneak peek into Blaine's past while Kurt and Blaine get to spend the day alone together!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt is kind of, sort of, waiting for the knock at his door that morning. Not that he is expecting Blaine to pick him up on the way to rehearsal, but he figures if Blaine felt anything like he did waking up that morning, then his boyfriend must be planning on stopping by. So when the knock sounds, and Finn grumbles from under the covers, Kurt takes a few seconds to check himself in the mirror before he pulls the door open.

Sure enough, it's Blaine, looking unbelievably sexy in a pair of dark, straight-legged jeans, and a blue and gray striped short-sleeved henley. Kurt can instantly recognize Dolce and Gabbana, and gives his boyfriend bonus points. Extra bonus points are added as Blaine holds a cup out to him.

"Extra skinny caramel latte?"

Kurt takes the offered cup with a smile. "Try to be more perfect. I dare you."

As Blaine leans in for a kiss, Finn mumbles from under the covers, "Try to be more quiet. I dare you."

Blaine chuckles against Kurt's lips and pulls back only a little as Kurt calls out, "Sorry, Finn."

He's not really sorry, though, because he's far too focused on his boyfriend leaning in to him now, their chests barely touching as they stand there in the doorway, Kurt slightly pressed back against the door, staring at one another. Kurt takes a sip of his latte before giving in to an urge, and reaching up to tuck a stray curl behind Blaine's ear. His fingers linger, taking their time as they slide through more curls at the nape of his neck. Blaine is just looking at him silently, a smile lingering on his lips. Kurt _really_ loves his lips.

Fingers tangling in the curls, he tugs Blaine those last few inches, breathing out with contentment as their lips come together. Blaine's lips part easily for him so he can slide his tongue past, tasting the mocha latte that Blaine has been drinking. The fingers of Blaine's free hand are splayed across Kurt's waist, pressing, thumb idly stroking the material of his shirt, hitching it up slightly so that Kurt can feel cool air where his skin is exposed.

"Okay, now you guys are _too quiet_," Finn says from the other side of the room, "and it's making me nervous!"

Blaine is shaking his head slightly as he pulls away from Kurt. Honestly, Kurt is really close to killing his stepbrother at the moment because it's six forty-five in the morning and his boyfriend was kissing him into oblivion, and Finn had to ruin it. Looking at Blaine, he realizes his boyfriend is just as displeased. When Blaine cocks an eyebrow at him in question, Kurt instantly knows what to do.

They both start making the loudest, most disgusting kissing noises in the world directed straight at Finn. Blaine even throws in a few moans for good measure, and that's highly distracting to Kurt, but it's working. Finn screeches in some sort of agony, curling into himself under the covers and burying his head under a mound of pillows.

"I hate you both!" He yells from beneath the pillows.

Kurt and Blaine just laugh until Blaine quietly points out that Finn is almost bigger than both of them put together, and maybe they shouldn't poke hibernating giants.

"Point." Kurt hands his coffee back to Blaine to hold while he moves to gather up his messenger bag. "See you at breakfast, grump."

A muffled, "GO AWAY!" is the last thing they hear as they close the door behind them.

"So I was thinking," Kurt begins to say as they walk down the corridor, "and if you say you can smell the smoke, we're breaking up right here and now," he warns quickly.

Blaine affects an innocent expression. "What? I didn't say anything."

"Your mouth twitched. That always happens when you decide to be a smart ass."

Blaine smiles and shrugs in acceptance, taking a sip of his coffee. Their index fingers are entwined casually between them.

"Anyway, I was thinking, and I'd kind of really like to stay on the ship today, just me and you."

"Did you read something about Tobago that—"

"No, no, no," Kurt says quickly, tugging him to a stop. "It's just, last night was so amazing, and I'm not saying I want to stay trapped in a room all day but just enjoying the ship without tripping over the rest of the Warblers, or getting side-eyed by my dad, or having Finn around, being Finn, would be nice." He moves up close to his boyfriend, swallowing up every ounce of personal space between them. "You said you didn't want to miss anything. To memorize every detail of the time we spend together. Well, that's easier when we only have to concentrate on each other, don't you think?"

Blaine pulls a face. "You're totally using my words against me."

"Maybe." Kurt bends his head and presses a brief kiss against Blaine's neck. Kurt has seen Blaine's bottle of Clive Christian No. 1—likely one of those rare "forgive me for being a bad parent" gifts from his mother—but today is the first time he thinks he's caught him wearing it. He smelled it once at Saks Fifth Avenue in Columbus, and he catches the unique scents of sandalwood, mandarin, cardamom, lime, and rose lingering over Blaine's skin. It causes him to press his nose into Blaine's skin, inhaling deeply.

Blaine steps back a little, but Kurt just follows. "Um, Kurt?"

"You're wearing Clive Christian," Kurt mumbles against his neck, nosing his way up to Blaine's ear and then to his cheek.

He can feel Blaine chuckling against him. "Yes, I am. For you."

"And you expect me _not_ to paw and sniff you in the middle of the hallway?" Kurt asks in disbelief as he continues to back his boyfriend up against the wall.

"Who knew all it took was expensive cologne? I would have worn this months ago!"

"Shut up." Kurt slaps his arm. Apparently the kissing is over because Blaine immediately puts his cup to his lips and seems incredibly interested in his coffee. Kurt tries not to pout. "So, you haven't answered me about staying on the ship today? Does that mean you're totally against it?"

"Against spending time alone with you?" Blaine's mouth twitches. "Totally. I hate it."

"Okay, we're done." Kurt turns and starts flouncing off down the hall when he feels Blaine catch his arm and tug him back against his body.

"You are such a brat," Blaine says in his ear. "Of course I want to spend the day alone with you. I just wanted to make certain you were doing this for the right reason and not because you were worried about getting off the ship."

Kurt shakes his head and turns to face Blaine. "Nothing like that. It's just, we only have a few days left, and you know how difficult it is to get five minutes alone at Dalton." He plays with the buttons on Blaine's henley.

Blaine reaches up and catches his hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing his fingers. "Okay. We'll stay. Will your parents be okay with it?"

"I should probably run it by Carole first," Kurt admits. "But I think it'll be fine."

"Sounds good." Blaine kisses him sweetly. "Come on. We're going to be late to practice. Then Wes will kill us and being here or on Tobago won't matter."

Luckily, they only get a few looks from the Warblers when they arrive a couple minutes late. Practice hasn't officially begun yet because Mr. Price is going over some notes with the council members, so Blaine and Kurt have time to finish off their coffees and throw the cups away before joining the rest of the group onstage. Kendrick offers a bleary-eyed good morning to Kurt, and Nick walks up to Blaine, whispering to him about something while gesturing toward Jeff. Kurt just watches quietly, not bothering to listen in because if there is one thing he has come to learn over the last few days it's that Nick isn't just protective of Blaine, he also tends to look up to him, and Kurt finds that cool. He's dating the guy that everyone in the Warblers kind of looks up to, even Wes, and Kurt can't help but feel anything but pride over that fact. Blaine ends up walking over to Jeff, with Nick in tow, and the three of them talk for a bit before Blaine gives Jeff a pat on the shoulder and makes his way back over to Kurt.

"What was that all about?" Kurt can't help but ask.

"Boys being boys." Blaine rolls his eyes. "I swear it's got to be easier negotiating nuclear treaties."

Kurt laughs at that.

They run through their set, with the occasional interruption from Mr. Price interjecting a suggestion here and there. He seems to be particularly interested in getting the performance just right this time and Kurt can only imagine that because it's less traditional, and will take a lot of effort on their part to engage the audience in the music. Some songs like _Here Comes the Sun_, _Ain't No Mountain High Enough_, _Sloop John B_—which Kurt has discovered is a whole lot more fun to perform than he would have thought—and his duet with Blaine would naturally be enjoyed by their audience. Other songs like _Don't Stop Me Now, Rio, Hey Soul Sister,_ and the like were not quite as cross-generational.

Mr. Price says, in very un-Mr. Price-like fashion, "You boys are going to have to _bring it_."

Kurt's never going to get the sound of him saying that out of his head.

Two hours later, when practice is finally over and they make plans to meet up again that evening at five for one last dress rehearsal Blaine wanders over to talk to Mr. Price. Kurt figures he's asking permission to stay on board for the day, so he waits at the bottom of the stage steps as the other boys file past him.

"See you down on the dock," Kendrick says as he moves past.

"Oh, no, actually. Blaine and I aren't going."

Kendrick stops and is joined by Nick, Jared, and David. "Why not?" Kendrick frowns. "Something we should know about?"

Kurt shakes his head and smiles. "No, don't worry. We just wanted a day away from all of you."

"Nice," David says with a laugh as he shoves Kurt in the shoulder and leaves.

Jared snorts and glances at Kendrick and Nick. "They're totally gonna be bumpin' uglies."

Kurt's eyes narrow as he looks at the boy. "You need to never use those words in that sentence in my presence ever again."

"Whatever. Get over yourself, Hummel."

As Jared walks off, Nick remarks, "His mother dropped him on his head when he was a baby. It'd be tragic if it had actually made a difference, but it didn't. He was born an ass."

Kurt kind of loves Nick right now.

"Well, have fun," Kendrick says with a smile. "I'm kind of jealous actually, and would beg to stay too if I didn't think Blaine would throw me overboard."

"And I honestly wouldn't try to stop him," Kurt responds.

Kendrick glances over at Nick. "Don't you just love how we all look out for each other? It gives me warm fuzzies on the inside."

Kurt laughs as Nick drags Kendrick off with a quick wave.

"What did they want?" Blaine asks as he joins Kurt. They start up the aisle.

"Oh, your friends were just being weird."

"They're you're friends, too, you know."

Kurt smiles at that. "Yeah, I know. But I only claim them when they're singing and behaving themselves. They're yours all of the other times."

Blaine laughs.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"Have fun, you guys!"

Kurt waves at his dad, Carole, and Finn as the elevator doors begin to close to take them down to Deck One. His dad is still giving him that look, the one that began at breakfast when Kurt had said he and Blaine wanted to stay on the ship, alone. The one that clearly said his dad isn't too certain about this, and that it's much too soon for Kurt to be asking to be left alone with his boyfriend, and that maybe he doesn't like Blaine so much after all. Luckily, Carole had quickly intervened, saying that the boys deserved a little time to just relax with their hectic schedule, and honestly, what kind of trouble could they get into on the ship? Kurt loves Carole a little more every day.

"So, what now?" Blaine asks.

Kurt turns to his boyfriend, reaching out for his hand and giving him a big smile. Blaine has kind of been giving him a look very much like his dad's, which is extremely freaky, but also seems to say he isn't entirely sure of Kurt's motives just yet. Rolling his eyes, Kurt tugs on Blaine's hand. "Come on. Let's walk and figure out what to do."

Blaine lets Kurt lead him up to Deck Eleven. Other passengers have already claimed several of the lounges, stretched out beneath the sun, and the smell of suntan lotion permeates the air. Latin music blasts from the speakers on the pool deck and the rare jogger runs past them along the make-shift track. There are a lot more people who chose not to disembark than Kurt was expecting. Not that it matters; none of these people are underfoot the way the Warblers (and Finn) tend to be.

Kurt finds himself talking about anything and everything. It's not so different than their usual times alone together. He always finds himself running at the mouth when he's alone with Blaine; like there's so much that has built up in him over the years to talk about with someone who might actually be interested that he feels the need to get it all out before Blaine grows bored. Of course, Blaine never does. Though he doesn't say too much, he nods and responds at all the right times. When Kurt pauses, Blaine will usually question him on something he said, proving that he has been listening to all of it closely, and just causing Kurt to love him all the more for paying attention.

It's not even like what he's saying is important—mostly he's talking about New Directions and some of the songs they've done together and the solos he's performed for them. He knows it probably sounds as if he's making comparisons to the Warblers, but he really isn't. The two groups are as different as they could possibly be and while at first it had concerned him that he wouldn't be able to find a place for himself with the Warblers, the last few weeks have proven otherwise. He may not have as many close friends as he did in New Directions, but, he reminds himself, there's still time. Especially as he begins to find himself charmed by some of their personalities. Some he could take or leave—Jared comes to mind—but others like Kendrick, Nick, and David he thinks he could be close friends with.

Then there's Blaine. Even if Kurt could somehow go back to McKinley and do so safely, he's not entirely certain he could bring himself to give up seeing Blaine daily.

"Is it just me, or are you being quieter than usual?" They've made three laps around the deck. Kurt stops next to the aft railing and looks at Blaine. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Blaine steps close, his hand sliding over Kurt's waist so that they're sides are pressed together. "Just thinking."

"I feel like I've been babbling," Kurt admits.

Blaine offers a soft smile. "I love it when you get like that. I love hearing your stories about New Directions and your friends, though admittedly I find myself getting a little jealous."

Kurt blinks. "Over what?"

"The freedom, I guess." Blaine shrugs as if it really isn't that important. "Wes loves Katy Perry, but I think he'd draw the line at Gaga. Not to mention, I can't imagine doing Gaga in the Dalton uniform."

The image his words conjure makes Kurt laugh. "Okay. You have a point. Though, maybe we could pull off just the blazer and tie… with a pair of platforms."

"That would raise a few eyebrows." Blaine leans forward on the railing, growing silent once more.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt notices a thirty-something couple sitting a few feet away. They're staring over at Blaine and Kurt, and occasionally whisper to each other while watching them. They look… Kurt tries to not think of the word disgusted, but it's the only description. He looks away and focuses on Blaine.

"Is there anything else?"

The silence is long enough that he thinks Blaine isn't going to answer, and then he says, "Yes. Last night… when you asked about past boyfriends." Blaine's gaze is focused on the water, as if there's something out there he needs to see. "It got me thinking. I haven't thought about Marc in a while."

There's something in the tone of Blaine's voice, sorrow definitely, and something else. Something Kurt hasn't really heard since the first time they'd really talked. It makes him nervous. "Marc?"

"My," Blaine's voice is obviously strained now, "boyfriend at my old school."

A not-so-small part of Kurt doesn't want to hear any more, but the other part—the part that recognizes Blaine wouldn't have brought this up if it wasn't important—asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Blaine finally looks over at him and Kurt doesn't refrain from reaching out to lay his hand against his cheek. His boyfriend moves slightly into the touch. "Yeah. I think I do."

Nodding, Kurt glances directly over at the couple again. This time they're blatantly staring right back. Kurt gives them his haughtiest expression before focusing back on Blaine. "Let's go back to my room. It's… kind of stifling out here."

Blaine glances over at the couple. He nods, still looking at them. "Yeah, okay." Kurt tugs on his hand gently to lead him away from the deck.

When they get to the stateroom, Kurt goes to his laptop sitting on the desk and opens it up to play some music. It takes him a moment to decide on a playlist because, quite honestly, if Blaine is talking to him, the last thing he needs to do is sing along to the Scissor Sisters. He drums his fingers against the desk as he watches Blaine sit on the edge of his bed.

"Anything in particular you want to listen to?"

Blaine just shakes his head.

Well, that's not a good sign. Blaine always has an opinion on music. Finally deciding on Celine Dion, Kurt hits shuffle and turns the volume down to a low background hum before he gets up and walks over to Blaine. He stops in front of him, but Blaine doesn't look up, so Kurt reaches out and runs his fingers through the curls at Blaine's temple.

"If you don't want to talk about it, Blaine, its okay not to—"

"No." Blaine takes a breath and look up at him. "No. I want… need to tell you. I know that I'm normally not very… forthcoming with stuff, and this—" He looks away again. "The only person I've ever talked to about it is Jameson. But you… you need to know."

"Okay." Kurt sits down beside him.

He waits quietly as Blaine seems uncertain of how to begin. Hoping to offer a little support, Kurt reaches out and takes Blaine's hand in his, giving it an encouraging squeeze. Blaine rewards him with a small, grateful smile as he begins:

"Marc and I first became friends when he moved in across the street when I was five. He was a year older, which immediately made him cooler than me, and guaranteed him a spot as my idol," Blaine says, the small smile lingering. "There'd always been something so mature about him, even at that age, and he fascinated me because he knew everything there was to know about baseball. I liked to watch the game but he was obsessed with it—he had more baseball cards than any kid I knew, and he could just start listing stats about every player in the major leagues, and most in the minors. He played in Little League—every team he was on at least went to the championships. He couldn't hit a ball that didn't at least guarantee him second base. He was amazing.

"As we got older, his qualities just extended into other areas. Everyone liked him, he had straight A's, and he was polite, gorgeous…"

Here Blaine pauses, and he looks over at Kurt, studying him quietly for a long moment. Kurt tries not to squirm under the perusal because he's already feeling inadequate—the way Blaine is describing Marc leaves a lot for Kurt to live up to. He startles slightly when Blaine reaches out, running his fingers through Kurt's hair. "You have his coloring, actually. The hair, the eyes… though yours are far more striking. Marc was classically handsome whereas you're… beautiful."

Kurt flushes under the praise and murmurs, "Thank you."

Blaine's silence continues until Kurt wonders if he isn't planning on saying anymore. Just when he's about to tell him that it's okay to stop there, Blaine begins speaking again:

"Marc came out to me when I was still struggling with my own realizations. His admission—I don't know—made it okay for me, I guess. At least, I didn't feel alone anymore for the most part. The thing was, he was a year ahead of me at school, and I remember in middle school watching him and being a little jealous because he was the popular kid; everybody liked him. Everyone naturally assumed he dated the most popular girls and liked the same things they liked. They thought he was… normal." There's a bitter edge to Blaine's voice that causes Kurt to scoot a little closer, pulling his hand onto Kurt's lap.

"That was when the bullying really began for me. The names, the hateful words scribbled into my textbooks when I wasn't looking, the shoving, the threats to beat me up. My brother was already in high school by then, so he had no idea what was going on. Marc was the only one I could talk to about it, and sometimes he'd just hold me while I cried."

"I'm glad he was there for you," Kurt says sincerely.

Blaine scoffs at that, and looks away for a moment, and Kurt doesn't understand what it was he said that was wrong.

"It was the summer of my freshman year that we realized there was something between us. We'd share kisses behind the closed door of his bedroom, and sit in the very back of the movie theater to hold hands. The best days were when we'd go to Reds game on the weekends, just the two of us with no one around who knew us… But when school started up, well, things changed. Obviously. I mean, he'd walk with me to school in the morning, and we'd see each other in the evenings, but at school..." Blaine shrugs. "That's what happens, I guess, when one of the least popular kids is friends with the most popular. You pretend you don't know each other in the hallway. You hang out with your clique. Marc was even voted Homecoming King that year." He laughs a little as he says, "I remember how miserable he looked standing up there with Mendy Warren for their photos together and the Homecoming King and Queen dance."

Blaine is quiet again suddenly, staring at the floor. Kurt finds himself sliding closer, still holding Blaine's hand while he reaches up with the other to brush gently again at Blaine's curls. "What happened?" he prompts softly.

"I'm not certain." Blaine's voice sounds pained as he speaks, like it's difficult to breathe. "One day we arrived at school and… everyone seemed to know. I don't know if someone saw something or overheard something or what… I never found out. Just… They were pointing and laughing at Marc. Asking him how the queer had rubbed off of me on to him. Telling him that fags weren't allowed in the Major Leagues. Something happened in the locker rooms that day. I don't know what, but when we walked home together he had a black eye. He was so quiet."

Blaine is squeezing Kurt's hand now, holding tightly to him as if he needs to know Kurt is there to get through this.

"I remember, when we got to my house no one was home yet and he pulled me into his arms and held me so tight. He told me how sorry he was that he never realized what it was I had been going through. He kissed me and told me to… to have courage." Kurt looks up at that but Blaine's looking away.

There's another long pause, and when Blaine speaks, he whispers, "The next morning there were emergency vehicles outside his house. He'd disconnected the smoke alarm, locked himself in the garage overnight, and started the car. His parents didn't find his body until that morning."

Kurt gasps, unable to contain it. He hadn't been expecting… He drops Blaine's hand, his own hands reflexively covering his mouth. He feels sick. His eyes are burning and he doesn't fight the tears. He's read story after story but that doesn't mean he's had to see it in his own life. Hearing Blaine describe it, watching him as he just sits there staring at the floor, Kurt feels more helpless than he ever has in his life. He doesn't know what he's supposed to do, what he's supposed to say.

In the end, he just whispers, "_Blaine_…"

It seems to be enough to pull Blaine back from wherever he had disappeared. When he looks at Kurt, his eyes are bright, but not from unshed tears. "That's when it got worse. As if I wasn't dealing with enough sh—" He cuts himself off and takes a deep breath. "No one seemed to care. I mean, they were sad that they'd lost Marc—the all-star player, the most popular guy in school—and wasn't it sad that he had fallen so low, but no one cared _why_. And when I could finally drag myself back to that… to school, it was all _my_ fault. _I'd_ corrupted him. _I'd_ forced him to be what he wasn't, and _no one would listen_. Not the faculty, not my fath—." He stops again, gritting his teeth. "So I called my mom and begged her to get me out of there. And she did. Safely ensconced away at Dalton."

Kurt is certain he could live his entire life and be fine with never hearing such venom in Blaine's voice again. He tries to reach out to him but Blaine stands and moves away as if it's impossible to just sit there any longer.

"It wasn't my fault. I _know_ that… "

Kurt can't help but wonder if he really _does_ know that.

Blaine stops with his back to Kurt, fists clenching at his sides. "It was the fault of _everyone else_ at that damn school! The bullies, the faculty, the students who turned the other way at the shoving and the slurs and… every single person who listed it as a non-problem, who blamed me and Marc for _being gay_. It's _their_ fault he's not alive, that he's not out there being amazing, that he won't one day be drafted into the Major Leagues. It's their fault he's rotting in the ground in that _goddamn cemetery_, and I can't—" His voice breaks.

Kurt's up in an instant, wrapping his arms around him from behind and holding on tightly. "Blaine. Shhh. Baby, please stop. Please don't. Shhh."

Kurt kisses the back of neck and holds him, and Blaine just shakes in his arms. He isn't crying. He isn't sad. Kurt wonders if it's because it's so easy to reach a point when you can't cry anymore, but no, Blaine is angry. Blaine is shaking with rage, and Kurt has never seen him like this, never knew he was capable of this, and it's a little terrifying. He can't begin to imagine how much Blaine keeps bottled up inside of him in order to project the outward appearance of such calm and steadfast control. He feels a little selfish at his relief over the knowledge that he's not alone in learning how to bury so much so deeply.

Gently, he pulls Blaine back over to the bed, maneuvering them both into sitting down. He never lets go, just holds his boyfriend as he continues to shudder against him. Blaine has begun to relax a little bit, his head dropping against Kurt's shoulder and his face buried in the crook of Kurt's neck. He's still breathing hard. Kurt keeps trying to soothe him, rubbing his shoulders and kissing his soft curls, whispering that he's there.

Eventually, Blaine is still once more. He places a hand against Kurt's chest, fingers kind of curling into the material of his shirt. Normally, Kurt would protest the wrinkles he's causing. Right now, he doesn't give a damn.

"I'm sorry," Blaine whispers. "I never wanted you to see me like this."

"Don't. Don't ever apologize. Not for this or for anything."

Blaine sits up and Kurt has to refrain from trying to pull him back into his arms. He just sits there, though, looking a little shell-shocked and completely miserable.

Needing to reassure him, Kurt reaches out and touches his fingers to Blaine's cheek, as if feeling him for the first time. "I'm glad that I saw you like this," he says honestly. "It makes you more real. You've always been kind of like a dream to me. Like I could pinch myself and this would never have happened. You're solid now… and breakable." He leans in, kissing the corner of Blaine's mouth. "And maybe you'll let me put you back together one day."

There's the barest hint of a smile from Blaine at that. He reaches up to push Kurt's bangs back. "You started that process months ago, Kurt. I may actually be a real boy because of you."

Kurt laughs and shakes his head. "_I'm_ Pinocchio… You're more like Jiminy Cricket."

Blaine chokes out a laugh as he pulls Kurt into his arms, holding on to him tight. Kurt sighs softly, kissing the side of Blaine's neck as he clings in return. He doesn't know how to make this better; he's pretty certain he can't. The mere fact that Blaine is reaching out to him, though, that he's shared this with him, is enough to convince Kurt that maybe, possibly, they'll figure out a way together.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt would have been more than happy to stay in his room all day but Blaine had insisted on doing something else. The transformation is fairly quick; once Blaine seems to be in control of himself again, it's like their talk never happened. Kurt isn't going to lie to himself—he hates it. Now that he knows it's all an act, he hates that Blaine feels the need to put it on around him. He knows these things take time, _god_ does he know that, but what happened in the room felt like progress. This feels like two steps back again. He refuses to push; he knows better than to do that when it comes to Blaine. Still, the pretense between them doesn't feel right. He's afraid he's going to say something that Blaine doesn't want to hear, so it's forcing Kurt to censor himself.

They end up grabbing a small lunch in the Ocean Café and carrying it out with them to sit at one of the tables on the aft deck in the Ocean Bar. There's Latin music playing, and only a few passengers scattered around them, a few smoking cigars over near the starboard side, two men sitting at the bar drinking beer.

Kurt picks at the salad on his plate before finally tearing a piece of bread off his sandwich and nibbling at it. He can feel Blaine's gaze on him, his pizza similarly untouched.

"Hey." He feels Blaine kick his foot under the table. "I—I didn't ruin today, did I?"

Instantly, he shakes his head, looking up to meet Blaine's gaze across the table. "No. Absolutely not. Sorry. I'm just... not as good as shutting down my emotions as you are." Kurt didn't mean that like it sounded, and he mentally kicks himself.

"Is that what you think I've done?" Blaine drops his gaze to his plate.

Kurt reaches across the table to touch his hand. "I'm sorry. I so didn't mean it like that. At all. I meant just"-he waves his other hand, stalling for time as he figures out what he _did _mean—"being able to move on to the next thing. Enjoying the day, when inside everything just _hurts_."

Well, crap. That didn't come out right either because now Blaine just looks miserable. And guilty.

"I didn't mean to make you hurt." The words are barely audible.

"You know, I'm just going to stop talking now," Kurt says airily, and he tries to laugh. "I'm just not getting any of this right. Tell you what. _You_ talk. Tell me how amazing I am with Rio. Simon Le Bon, eat your heart out!"

That actually earns him a smile. It's a good start.

They begin to eat their lunch, and slowly but surely Kurt begins to coax Blaine into talking a little. They both steer clear of anything too deep, and Kurt is just fine with that because he's still processing everything Blaine shared, and he thinks he needs to spend a little time falling apart on his own before he can offer the support that Blaine needs to get past this. So they go back to the easy stuff—music and fashion and TV and their ultimate set list for the Warblers if they had the chance to choose it. Kurt makes mention of the idea of the two of them on the council, and they laugh for a good five minutes as the image leads them to the conclusion of the Warblers, after one hundred and nineteen years of tradition, being disbanded for repeated inappropriate song selections.

It's slowly becoming more crowded on the deck when Blaine excuses himself to get another plate of pizza. Kurt refrains from making any comment about bad eating habits because, yeah, Blaine is more than welcome to eat two large pizzas and a side vat of French Fries today.

There's a lot of laughter and the clinking of glasses coming from behind him as toasts are made. Kurt turns to look over his shoulder, recognizing the group of Canadians from the other night when the Warblers sang out here at the bar. They're all downing shots that seem to be a couple various layers of alcohol. He can't help but feel a little nauseated at the thought. Ever since the extremely unpleasant experience of alcohol poisoning, Kurt has little tolerance for even the thought of alcohol. He's sure he'll get over it someday, but he's not exactly looking to speed up the process.

"Hey, you're one of those Warbler guys, aren't you?" One of the men comes over to turn the chair next to Kurt backwards and straddle it. He holds out his hand. "I'm Anthony."

"Kurt." They shake hands.

"Yeah, you sang Baby Its Cold Outside with that other guy—"

"Blaine."

"That was gutsy, man. And very cool. Definitely one of the best versions I've heard."

"Thanks." Kurt smiles and ducks his head to hide the blush he feels at the praise. After all, Anthony _is_ undeniably cute with slightly too-long sandy-colored hair that's kind of windblown and a day's worth of stubble around his smile. He's wearing one of those little shell necklaces that is ridiculously tacky, and he's holding a Corona in a much tanned grip.

"So you guys gonna perform again?"

"Umm, yeah tonight. In the theater for both shows."

Anthony leans back and taps one of the guys at the other table on the shoulder. "Hey, that a cappella group is performing again tonight."

There's a round of hoots from the group. Kurt wonders if it's because they've all had a little too much to drink. Anthony turns back to him and flashes a smile. "You guys are as good as Nestor. His music's a little easier to dance to, but you guys are a lot of fun."

Nestor is the Latin music performer on board—a one-man band. Kurt had heard him with Blaine the other night. His music was phenomenally catchy, even if Kurt didn't know a word of Spanish. He can't help but feel pride at the Warblers being matched with him.

"Hello."

Kurt glances up to see that Blaine has returned, three fresh slices of pizza on his plate along with some fries. It's a little scary how well Kurt knows his eating habits.

"Hey there. I'm Anthony." They shake hands as Blaine sits. "Just talking to my boy, Kurt, here about your performance the other night."

"Were you?"

Kurt tilts his head slightly to the side as he watches Blaine interact with Anthony. He's not quite himself. Normally, he'd have Anthony completely wrapped around his finger by now. Something is off. Kurt wonders if it has to do with their talk earlier.

Anthony turns his attention back to Kurt, and that's when he's entirely certain something isn't quite right because Blaine always commands the attention of anyone, anywhere. He glances over at his boyfriend, but he isn't looking up, just staring kind of moodily at his pizza, like he suddenly doesn't want it. To Kurt's right, Anthony is asking him questions: _How long have you been singing_? _Where are you from_? Have _you always sung a cappella_? _Have you ever been to Canada_? Kurt answers as politely as he can but his full attention is on his boyfriend who occasionally picks at a fry, or pulls a piece of pepperoni off his pizza.

_Yanks_ it off his pizza, actually.

"You guys should join us for dinner one night," Anthony invites.

Blaine abruptly stands up, pushing his chair back. "I'm done eating. Can we go, please?"

Kurt stares at Blaine, wondering for a moment where his boyfriend went and who was this rude, moody teenager that took his place. Blaine doesn't even wait for a response, just heads for the stairs that lead to Deck Eleven.

Frowning, Kurt slowly stands and turns to look at Anthony in apology. "Sorry. I'd better go. I'll have to check about dinner, but thanks for the invite. And, have a good cruise—hope to see you at one of the shows tonight!"

Blaine's waiting for him on the next deck…well, kind of. He'd walked until he apparently realized Kurt wasn't there with him, and he'd stopped to wait for him to catch up. There's this thing about Blaine where only someone who really pays attention would notice when something is wrong. On the surface, he looks relaxed—just a boy on a cruise. But there's this intensity that builds in his eyes when something is affecting him, and it's there right now. The honey-gold has gone all bright hazel, greener than usual.

"Is something wrong?" he asks the minute he reaches Blaine's side.

"No." Blaine turns and starts walking.

Yeah, something is wrong. "You're lying." Kurt catches up to him again. "Does this have to do with earli—"

"You were flirting with him."

Kurt stops dead in his tracks. He gapes at Blaine's back incomprehensively for a moment, and then his eyes widen. "Holy—you're jealous."

Blaine stops, turns back. "Don't be ridiculous."

And for some reason, Kurt thinks that's the funniest thing he's ever heard. He just starts laughing. "Oh, wow! You're jealous of some guy who was at least like six years older than me for fl-flirting! Ahahaha!"

"This is so not funny!" Blaine moves over to him, reaching out to put his hand over his mouth as he tugs him close. His eyes aren't quite so bright anymore, and the corner of his lips is twitching as if he is trying very hard not to find amusement in the situation. "Stop laughing! I'm not jealous!"

The denial just makes Kurt laugh harder.

Rolling his eyes, Blaine pushes Kurt backwards toward the railing, arm around his waist, hand still covering his mouth. "If you don't stop laughing at me and accusing me of being jealous, I am totally throwing you overboard!"

Kurt, not about to stop laughing at the ridiculousness that is his boyfriend, reaches up to pull Blaine's hand away so he can say, "Jealous!"

"Oh, that's it!" Blaine moves to grab Kurt under his knees and Kurt, still laughing, pushes at his shoulders.

"Stop! Stop! You have no power over me—"

Blaine stops, leaning up to look at Kurt, brow furrowed. "Did you just quote Labyrinth?"

"Maybe." Kurt loves Blaine for catching the reference. Still, with the distraction, he slips out of Blaine's grip, adding, "Also, I'm totally stronger than you."

"That's such bull!" Blaine lunges at Kurt but only catches air as Kurt darts off.

He yells over his shoulder, "Faster too!"

It could be a sad commentary on his life lately, though he tries not to look at it that way, but this is honestly the most fun Kurt's had in… well, a long time. And he really couldn't say when the last time was that he ran and it wasn't required for a grade. He can hear Blaine quickly catching up behind him, and it just figures he'd be fast, and Kurt pushes himself a little harder, weaving around some lounge chairs and passengers, remembering to call out a quick "Excuse me!" (and _wow_, his boyfriend is rubbing off on him), before rounding the deck toward the front of the ship.

He finally stops at the bow, spinning around to watch as Blaine turns the corner, and comes to a stop when he sees Kurt. It's like a standoff, except Kurt doesn't mind getting caught so much, and he knows he's totally taunting Blaine as he flashes a smile at him and casually turns to walk away. Three, two, one—the sound of Blaine's approaching footsteps are barely enough warning as he tackles Kurt from behind, arms circling around Kurt's waist as he drags him over to one of the empty lounges. Blaine kind of throws them onto it, though he's supporting most of Kurt's weight, and Kurt's still kind of giggling because, honestly, _his boyfriend was jealous_!

"I never knew you were such a brat!" They're both kind of breathing hard from the exhilaration of the chase. Blaine lies back against the lounge, pulling Kurt down with him. "I should shred every article of Marc Jacobs you own."

"That would be an offense punishable by dismemberment," Kurt warns before wriggling in Blaine's arms until he is turned and facing him. "I can't believe you were jealous!"

"I wasn't—" Blaine ends the denial as Kurt gives him a hard stare. "Okay. All right. I admit it. I was jealous. Seething, in fact. Happy now?"

Kurt laughs again, burying his face in Blaine's shoulder. He _is_ happy, but not for the reason Blaine thinks. Just the idea that somehow _he_ had elicited feelings of jealousy in someone he loves. It's kind of amazing. And weird. And amazing.

He turns his head, laying it on Blaine's shoulder. "You know you never have a reason to be jealous, right?"

Blaine shrugs. "Sure."

Kurt lifts up, propping his arms on Blaine's chest to stare down at him. "I want you to say it out loud. Say _'I don't have a reason to be jealous when it comes to Kurt'_. Say it—and don't be a smart ass! Say you as in I, not me as in I. Oh, don't give me that look. Just say it."

When there's only silence, Kurt reaches up, placing his fingers on either side of Blaine's mouth and pushes against it like he's trying to get him to mouth the words as Kurt starts to say for him, "I don't have a reason—"

Blaine bats his hand away. "Stop that."

"Then say it."

"Fine." Blaine huffs. "I don't have a reason to be jealous when it comes to Kurt."

Kurt smiles and leans forward to kiss him. "Good. And you don't. Because I'm pretty certain I've got the most awesome guy in the world right here, and while I'm not entirely certain how I lucked out, I'm totally not looking a gift horse in the mouth. So no more jealousy, okay?"

Blaine finally returns his smile. "Okay."

"Although, it was kind of cute…"

"Stop that."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

They end up going to the cinema to see "Greenzone", although neither of them have any interest in it, and it doesn't matter anyway because they sit in the back row and spend the full two hours getting to know one another better. Or rather, their mouths do. Kurt discovers that there's this place just below Blaine's ears that kind of renders his boyfriend into a puddle of goo, and he's also fairly certain that he has at least two hickeys on his neck, and he can't even begin to formulate a plan to explain _that one_ to his dad. Not that he cares at the moment; his boyfriend's tongue is in his mouth, and that pretty much makes caring about anything else rather stupid.

"I think the movie is over," Blaine says against his mouth before sucking on his lower lip.

Kurt opens his eyes to see that the lights have come up. He says something kind of like "Mrrrppft," in response, then closes his eyes and goes back to kissing Blaine.

Another few minutes pass, and Blaine seems to remember he's supposed to be the responsible one. "We should really go." He's still halfway in Kurt's lap, and doesn't seem inclined to move. They've been taking turns because the armrest between them is uncomfortable.

"Yeah. Right."

Kurt tugs on Blaine's curls because he really likes to, and Blaine makes this sound in the back of his throat that—okay, so admittedly Kurt has repeatedly found himself picturing his dad coming after Blaine with his shotgun or being beaten out by Rachel Berry for repeated solos or being forced to wear clothes off the rack at Walmart for _the rest of his life_. He hasn't had to suffer through a boner this long since the last Zac Efron film.

And he totally didn't just whimper as Blaine pulls away.

"We're, uh, being watched," Blaine whispers, waving a hand toward the doorway where one of the cleaning staff is standing staring at them, wide-eyed.

"Oh." Kurt is pretty certain he's fire engine red at the moment. "Yeah, let's go." He lets Blaine help him up and they step past the stunned crewmember, both mumbling their apologies before hurrying down the hall.

"What time is it?"

Kurt pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and checks. "Almost three."

Blaine suggests heading back to their rooms to get changed before rehearsal, and meeting up in the theater. Kurt agrees but pulls Blaine into another kiss outside of his stateroom, not quite ready to give up his boyfriend for the chaos of the Warblers just yet.

He wraps his arms around him and hugs him tight, before leaning in to his ear to whisper, "Today was amazing. Thank you."

Blaine pulls back just a little to meet his gaze. "No. Thank _you_."

Kurt doesn't bother pretending that he doesn't know to what Blaine is referring. He kisses him, chaste and brief, before forcing himself to step away. "See you in the theater."

It's almost three-forty by the time Kurt makes his way to the Celebrity Theater—his hair was being a pain in the ass, forcing him to completely restyle it, and make us of extra amounts of hairspray. When he enters, he sees Blaine on stage, sitting at the piano set at the back of the stage, playing an arrangement Kurt doesn't recognize, but it's beautiful, and complicated, and Kurt had never realized Blaine was that studied at the piano.

He makes his way on stage, and Blaine looks up, still playing as he gives him a smile. Kurt slides onto the bench next to him, watching as Blaine's fingers move across the white and black keys. Kurt can play. He just can't play like this.

"What is that?" he asks.

"Chopin's Etude, opus 10 #10 in A-flat major."

Kurt just stares at him for a moment. "How are you even real?"

Blaine smiles and leans over for a kiss as the piece ends. He turns slightly on the bench to look at Kurt. "Do you play?"

"A little. Not like, you know," he waves a hand, "_that_."

"A gift from my mother," Blaine says with a shrug as he turns back to the keys, and this time the tune he begins sounds a little more familiar. He stops, glancing back over at Kurt. "Sing with me?"

Kurt smiles. "Thought you'd never ask."

When Blaine begins playing, Kurt recognizes the song instantly. His breath catches in his throat as Blaine begins singing:

"_I don't know you  
But I want you  
All the more for that_"

Kurt joins in softly with:

"_Words fall through me  
And always fool me  
And I can't react_"

He trails off as Blaine continues:

"_And games that never amount  
To more than they're meant  
Will play themselves out_"

This time as Kurt joins back in, they look at each other as they sing:

"_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
We've still got time  
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice  
You've made it now"_

"_Falling slowly, eyes that know me  
And I can't go back  
Moods that take me and erase me  
And I'm painted black_"

Kurt drops his gaze as Blaine sings to him:

"_You have suffered enough  
And warred with yourself  
It's time that you won_" 

He feels a gentle nudge from Blaine's elbow, and smiles as he brings his gaze back up and his voice blends with Blaine's once more:

"_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
We've still got time  
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice  
You've made it now_"

"_Take this sinking boat and point it home  
We've still got time  
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice  
You've made it now  
Falling slowly sing your melody  
I'll sing along…_"

Kurt lays his head on Blaine's shoulder as he plays through the end of the song; he reaches his left hand up to join in, their fingers moving in synchronization across the keys until the last of the notes are played. They sit there in silence for a long time, until Kurt feels Blaine shift slightly and place a kiss on his forehead.

"I love you, Kurt," he whispers against him.

Kurt's breath catches in his throat. Just three words. Eight letters. And still he feels like the world has been handed to him. His chest feels heavy, and everything kind of hurts, but feels wonderful, too, and Kurt is caught between crying and shouting. He chooses neither option and instead reaches up to wrap his fingers around the lapel of Blaine's blazer and just hang on to it. He thinks he's crying but he isn't certain because everything is kind of surreal to him at the moment.

He's not hiding it all very well because Blaine asks, "Is something wrong?"

Kurt shakes his head a little, pressing closer into the side of Blaine's neck, like maybe he could hide himself away in the scent and feel of him.

_You said I love you_, he thinks.

"You're crying."

"No I'm not." _I know I am._

"Hey." Blaine lays his hand on Kurt's cheek and moves, pulling away and forcing Kurt to look at him. He wipes at the tears with his thumb, looking a little confused and worried. "I'm sorry if I upset you…"

"You didn't." Kurt leans in quickly, pressing their lips together, wanting Blaine to know that everything is all right, really and truly perfect. He stays that way a moment, just enjoying the warmth of Blaine's mouth, and then admits against it, "I know you've felt, but you've never said… and hearing those words… I never thought I'd hear someone say them to me. Let alone you."

Blaine pulls back, eyes wide. "Oh, Kurt… Kurt, I'm so sorry. I thought for sure you knew—"

Kurt places his fingertips against Blaine's mouth. "I do." He smiles through his tears. "I have. It's just _hearing_ it, hearing you _say it_… I didn't know it would feel like this."

Blaine kisses his fingers and then pulls his hand away and leans in to kiss his lips. "I know the feeling. When you said it to me—well, I didn't have much time to process because you started _yelling_ at me," he smiles, "but that night in my room, it was all I could think about. I just kept replaying it over and over in my head." Blaine pauses, taking a breath. "Kurt, would you—"

"I love you."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

That night, as Wes introduces them for their duet, Kurt thinks again how silly the song is—iconic icon of icons singing it or not-but something about the words hold a whole new meaning for him.

"_I got flowers in the spring _

_I got you to wear my ring"  
_

"_And when I'm sad, you're a clown  
And if I get scared, you're always around"  
_

"_So let them say your hairs too long  
'Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong"  
_

"_Then put your little hand in mine  
There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb"  
_

"_Babe __I__ got you babe I got you babe"_

"I got you to hold my hand" 

_"I got you to understand" _

_"I got you to walk with me" _

_"I got you to talk with me" _

_"I got you to kiss goodnight"_

_"I got you to hold me tight" _

_"I got you, I won't let go" _

_"I got you to love me so"_

"_I got you babe_"


	13. Chapter 13

Thank you again for all of your wonderful reviews! I am completely backlogged at this point between trying to get the last couple of chapters done by this weekend and my paper for class and planning a Superbowl party. So replies to some of you may take until next week! My sincerest apologies!

We're back to fluff this time—it's kind of necessary what with it being New Year's eve and all. BUT! Angst to come in the next chapter (because beating down on Blaine is FUN!). ;)

Thanks again for reading, everyone! It really means a lot to me!

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Breakfast is chaos, but in the good too-many-crazy-family-members in one place kind of way. That's how Kurt is beginning to view his fellow Warblers—one half of his family is at McKinley High in Lima, and the other half attends Dalton in Westerville. The two tables in the dining hall are filled to overflowing between the boys and their three chaperones. The performances had gone so well the night before that the council decided to cancel rehearsal for the following morning, so they all got to sleep in. They have two short performances tonight in the Cova and Rendez-vous lounges prior to the New Year's party on the pool deck—they're all quite confident that another rehearsal would be redundant at this point. Their conversation is loud - lots of teasing, lots of congratulatory remarks on the shows the night before, and the occasional bits of food being thrown here and there when Kurt's parents and Mr. Price aren't looking.

Blaine has had his hand on Kurt's knee pretty much since they sat down. They haven't really talked all that much because Wes, David and, oddly enough, Finn, have kept Blaine engaged in conversation. Kurt's all right with that, though, because he knows by the touch of Blaine's hand where his full attention is actually focused. He knows that if he were to begin to say something, Blaine would immediately give him his full concentration. Just knowing that makes it easier to not engage his boyfriend, to simply listen to him converse with the others, and enjoy the warmth of his hand on Kurt's knee. Also, it allows Kurt the chance to just watch Blaine, which has quickly become one of his favorite hobbies, right up there with shopping.

His hair is in Kurt's favorite state—still damp from his morning shower, curls slowly drying in wisps around the shells of his ears and nape of his neck. When Kurt had stopped by his room to pick him up that morning, he'd had the chance to play with the curls while they'd greeted each other with kisses. Holden had been in the shower, so they'd used those extra few minutes alone together to their advantage. Kurt can almost still feel the cool wet strands as they had slid between his fingers. Blaine had even let him smooth his hair back into place when they heard Holden exiting the bathroom. He'd just flashed them a look that said he knew exactly what they'd been doing, while Kurt hummed quietly, running his fingers through Blaine's hair so that it was less disheveled than he'd left it.

"My apologies for the interruption," a voice says, drawing the attention of the Warblers to the head of the table where a tall and extremely well-dressed middle-aged man is standing with his arm around the waist of beautiful and petite blonde woman. Kurt feels Blaine add a little pressure to his knee.

"Not at all, Mr. Ramsey," Wes says standing and holding out his hand to shake with their benefactor. On the other side, Mr. Price is doing the same.

"My wife and I just wanted to stop by and tell you how much we enjoyed the performance last night. You boys did the Warbler name proud."

There's a jumbled round of 'thank you's from the two tables. Kurt has honestly never seen the other boys look quite so… humble. After a smile and nod, Walter Ramsey seems to zero in on Blaine, stepping around Wes to hold out his hand.

"You're the lead soloist, correct?"

"Blaine Anderson, sir." Kurt mentally curses at Mr. Ramsey for causing Blaine to stand and pull his hand away.

"You've got quite a voice on you, son."

"Thank you, sir."

He peers over Blaine's shoulder at Kurt, directing his next words to both of them. "I emailed the other Warblers from my class to let them know about that duet the two of you did last night. Nothing pleases me more than knowing the Warblers aren't afraid to challenge the norm. It's a tradition that's been honored since the beginning, and I'm glad to see that continue. You boys should be proud of yourselves."

Kurt can't help but be pleased at the praise. Blaine is looking over his shoulder at him and smiling before turning back to Walter Ramsey and thanking him. The man reaches over to shake Kurt's hand before thanking the group once more and excusing him and his wife.

The moment Blaine sits back down, his hand is once again on Kurt's knee. Kurt smiles to himself before laying his own hand over Blaine's, fingers tracing lightly over his knuckles. The conversations around them briefly focus on Walter Ramsey and his words of praise, and some of the boys tease Blaine and Kurt for being singled out, but not unkindly.

That's something that Kurt has slowly had to get used to when it comes to the Warblers—the absolute lack of jealousy over things like solos or how Blaine is usually the one noticed by the audience because he's typically the one out in front. No one argues who gets to be front-and-center for the next competition; no one begrudges Blaine the amount of time he has in the spot light.

It took Kurt a while to understand that it wasn't because Blaine was nice and everyone likes him (though that fact doesn't hurt), but it does have everything to do with the confidence each member has of their place and importance within the group. It has taken a few hard-learned lessons (and an equal amount of pep talks from Blaine and David) for Kurt to come to realize that whatever Blaine or Nick or Kendrick might be singing out in front, they'd be nothing without their fellow Warblers adding their own vocals to the song. However out of place and irrelevant Kurt might have felt while performing with them at Sectionals, it had all been in his mind. The Warblers didn't have a countertenor; now they do. His presence makes a difference, and none of them seem inclined to let him forget that.

Eventually, Mr. Ramsey's interruption is forgotten by most of them (Kurt can still hear Wes, David and Blaine discussing it), and conversation shifts to today's excursion activity.

Kurt is half looking forward to and half dreading the day ahead. Their current port is Roseau, Dominica, and the Warblers have chosen to go tubing on the Layou River for their excursion. Kurt hadn't been overly thrilled at the prospect, so when Carole had mentioned she convinced his dad to sign up with her for the Cooking Caribbean excursion, Kurt had jumped at the chance. He hadn't imagined that Blaine would have any interest in it, but surprisingly his boyfriend had immediately agreed, saying it would be a far more unique experience than river tubing. Blaine is the only boy Kurt knows who bothers to look at the uniqueness of something as opposed to the excitement of it. The moment Kurt had mentioned to his family that Blaine wanted to join them for the cooking excursion Finn had jumped at the chance to swap tickets so that he could go river tubing.

So that means Kurt and his boyfriend will be spending four hours that day with his dad and Carole. On the one hand, no other Warblers to demand his boyfriend's attention; on the other hand, his parents will be there, with Kurt and his boyfriend, and there is no way awkwardness won't ensue.

Something squishy hits Kurt in the cheek, abruptly pulling him from his thoughts, and he looks down to see a soggy fried potato lying on the table in front of him. Pulling his most fierce expression, he glances around the table, unable to pinpoint the perpetrator but saying loudly enough for them all to hear, "If whoever did that expects to live long enough to graduate, I suggest not doing it _again_."

Satisfied that his warning has been received, he turns to find Blaine watching him in confusion. Kurt points at the potato still laying in front of him that he isn't interested in touching. "Someone threw that. _At me_. My _face_, to be exact."

Blaine looks sympathetic. He reaches out for Kurt's chin, turning his face so that the cheek that had been struck faces him. He brushes at Kurt's skin with his fingers and smiles. "There. No harm done. Your skin is still perfect."

Kurt blushes and murmurs his thanks. He feels Blaine squeeze his knee before he returns to his conversation with Wes and David.

"We should probably get going, guys," Mr. Price calls out, pushing back in his seat to stand. "We're supposed to meet the bus in thirty minutes."

The Warblers all start getting up, and Kurt is amused as he gets yet another glimpse of the difference between boys from Dalton academy and boys from McKinley. Each of the Warblers is careful to fold and tuck their cloth napkins under the edge of their plates instead of tossing them in a heap on top of the leftover food (like Finn has done),and they all push their chairs back in, out of the way of the servers and other diners. It's a far cry from the meals he's had with the boys of New Directions, and though he wouldn't honestly admit it to anyone (possibly not even Blaine) he kind of misses the rough edges of his ex-teammates.

"Oh, shoot!" Carole exclaims, drawing Kurt's attention as stands up beside Blaine. "I forgot my camera. I'm going to have to run back to the room and get it."

"Do you really need it?" Kurt's dad asks as he helps her up.

"Well, I would like to have some photos of you cooking," she teases.

"Blaine and I can run and get it," Kurt offers, ignoring the 'Don't think I don't know why you're offering, kid' look his dad is throwing him. "Just give me your key."

"Thanks, sweetie." Carole digs through her purse before handing it over to him. "Your dad and I will meet you boys down on the dock."

His dad is still giving him the full stare, and Kurt offers his brightest and most innocent smile in return before poking at Blaine's back to guide him away from the table. They take hands as they exit the restaurant and Blaine is laughing softly beside him.

"That was probably the most obvious excuse I've ever seen."

"Shut up." Kurt pushes into him sideways, and Blaine stumbles slightly, still laughing at him. "Are you complaining that I'd like a few minutes alone with you before we get to spend four hours in the company of my parents?"

"Not at all. I'm not complaining..."

Kurt glances over at him. "But?"

"Well," Blaine pauses as he attempts to carefully choose the words he's looking for. "Remember how I said I want to take this slowly?"

Kurt nods, brow furrowing slightly.

"It's just," he shrugs, and his cheeks appear to be reddening slightly as he admits quietly, "I'm having trouble sticking to that plan every single time _yourmouthandyourhandsareonme_."

Kurt stops in the corridor, eyes wide as he stares at his boyfriend. Adorably, Blaine looks uncomfortable. He won't even meet Kurt's eyes. For his part, Kurt can't really get past the admission. He just asks, "Really?"

Blaine is chewing on his thumb nail. "Yeah. I can't remember the last time I've taken this many ice cold showers."

They both continue to stand there in silence, and Kurt is completely uncertain of what should be said now. Because, yeah, as inexperienced as he might be with all of this, every single chance they have to make out now, he finds himself wanting to take it a little further, try something a little different, push the boundaries of that whole 'going slow' thing. And sure, it's hormones and every teenager has to deal with the same thing, but it's taken him long enough to get to this point, to have someone there he can act on those urges with, so he can't help but think that makes it a little more difficult to hold back. There's some lost time to make up for, and his boyfriend happens to have just enough—not a lot—but just _enough_ experience to make it all that much more tempting.

"So… ummm… " Kurt realizes he's staring at Blaine's lips and that's really not helping. He drops his gaze down to the floor instead.

"I'm just saying maybe we should… hold off on spending too much time alone for a while—"

Kurt can't help the hurt expression he flashes at Blaine with his words. He knows he might as well have simply said _Why don't you want to spend time with me anymore_? as opposed to just looking at him like he had recently kicked Kurt's puppy.

For his part, Blaine is immediately contrite, closing the space between them and cupping Kurt's face with his hands. "Don't. I didn't mean it like that, okay?" He kisses him softly. "You have no idea what you mean to me, Kurt, what this means to me. And I just don't want—" He breaks off as if frustrated with trying to find the right words. Sighing, he presses their foreheads together and says, "Love that is too hot and strong burneth soon to waste."

"What?"

Blaine smiles, his fingers drawing delicate patterns along Kurt's cheeks. "It's from one of my favorite poems, _Love Me Little, Love Me Long_. It's just, what we have, it makes me think of that poem."

Kurt blinks. Blaine is into poetry. One more thing to add to the list of how Blaine Anderson is the most romantic and perfect boyfriend in the entirety of the world. "You'll have to read it to me, sometime."

"Definitely."

Blaine kisses him then, softly and slowly, drawing it out so that Kurt can't help but catch the meaning. From a slight pressure, gentle and reassuring, to a kiss more deeply felt, angled lips and fingers stroking ever-so-lightly down his neck that hesitate there only briefly as the kiss changes once more. A swipe of tongue now against Kurt's lips, and one hand is curling around his neck, the other sliding over his chest, the touch more than just a caress as it slips down and around his waist, pulling him closer. And when he parts his lips, Blaine's tongue slips inside, a deep and intimate caress hinting at promises of what's to come, secret places yet unexplored. Kurt shivers against him, not bothering to hold back his whimper as Blaine pledges, without uttering a single word, the path that one day their relationship will take.

When the kiss ends, stopping with a single soft caress of Kurt's lips, he can almost hear the unspoken _Not yet_.

Kurt doesn't open his eyes as Blaine whispers against his mouth, "That's what I want it all to be like. Every single moment we have together."

"I'm not certain I'm going to survive every moment like that," Kurt huffs honestly in response.

Laughing, Blaine pulls him close in a tight embrace. "Not even if I promise it'll be worth it?"

"I'm not saying it won't be worth it." Kurt snuggles into Blaine's warmth, clinging to him a little. "I'm just saying I may not survive it."

Although, Kurt has to admit, the journey sounds extremely pleasant.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The Cooking Caribbean excursion is held in the home of David and Deana Eugene. Blaine and Kurt had quietly joked during the drive in the van that David was actually an axe murder who was taking them out into the middle of nowhere to cut them up and use them in the next excursion because… well, their home was literally in the middle of nowhere, up a winding muddy road high in the mountains, surrounded by lush vegetation, palm, banana and cocoa trees all around them.

The house itself is three stories tall, soft yellow with white trim, with multiple outside staircases and a porch that extends around most of the second floor. The kitchen for the cooking excursion is located in the back beneath an added-on overhang, open to the backyard on three sides with a view of nothing but green mountains behind them. The kitchen looks like something out of the Food Network, and the view looks like something out of the Travel Channel. All in all, Kurt's fairly pleased with his choice to follow his parents on this excursion rather than river tubing.

Especially considering it has been raining nonstop since they'd disembarked from the ship. The Warblers have got to be miserable.

When they'd arrived and been introduced to David's wife, Deana, and her fellow cook, Liz, they'd all been instructed to wash their hands and then handed bright yellow aprons to wear. Kurt isn't too pleased with being forced to wear it, no matter if it will protect his shirt from getting stained; yellow is a horrible color on him that makes his complexion appear far too sallow. Blaine, on the other hand, looks remarkably adorable in his, and Kurt isn't the least surprised that his boyfriend already has Deana and Liz giggling like tweens as he engages them with questions about the business.

There are only two other passengers on the tour with them, an older man named Phil and his twenty-something daughter, Alex, who are both from Toronto. After introductions, Alex leans over to whisper to Kurt, "We're on vacation with my two sisters. I drew the short straw for today's excursion. They're at the beach."

Kurt smiles, and points at the dark grey clouds, which have settled over the mountains and don't appear to be going anywhere. "That straw may have been longer than you think."

Alex laughs and nods in agreement.

As their hostesses begin explaining to them how the cooking lesson will work, Blaine comes over to lean next to Kurt against the enormous island that circles the kitchen. He bumps his shoulder lightly, as if simply letting him know that he's thinking about him. Kurt tries not to look when he notices Carole taking a photo of them out of the corner of his eye.

Kurt's most intent on the description of the menu, careful take make certain it's all healthy enough for his dad to eat, and nutritionally acceptable to him. There's creole fish (tuna, for today) with a marinade made mostly of vegetables, rice and peas in coconut milk, plantains in shredded coconut (though he's not too pleased with the fact that they'll be fried), salad with lime and garlic dressing, grapefruit with spiced rum (at his dad's rumble of approval, Kurt shakes his head—"But it's grapefruit!" "You can have the grapefruit minus the rum"), and pumpkin juice, also apparently with spiced rum.

"Will there be a nonalcoholic choice?" Kurt asks.

Deana and Liz look surprised at the question, and Kurt's dad grumbles off to the side about his son being a killjoy. Kurt just rolls his eyes and waits for a response.

"We can certainly make a separate batch," Deana tells him.

Pleased with her easy acceptance of meeting his request, Kurt smiles and nods in return. Deana and Liz begin busying themselves gathering the materials needed for cooking.

Blaine leans in close, whispering into his ear, "The way you take care of your dad is really kind of hot, you know."

Kurt's surprised at how well he doesn't bother reacting to Blaine's admission, even if he does step hard on the foot beside his. He allows a small smile as Blaine chokes back a pained noise and shoots him a disgruntled look.

"Be quiet and pay attention to the cooking lesson, Blaine," Kurt tells him.

There's a beat, and then, "Yes, dear."

Kurt's about to stomp on his foot again when Deana calls for a volunteer; Blaine quickly bounds away from him offering up his assistance. Shaking his head, Kurt sighs at how much he alternately wants to shake and kiss his boyfriend, before glancing over to see Carole already taking pictures of him as he begins helping slice plantains. And wow, Kurt is going to have real photos of his boyfriend to put on his Facebook and make secret scrapbooks with that no one but he will ever get to see (because if anyone knew he was particularly talented at scrapbooking, he'd never live it down). There will be no more nabbing photos off of school websites—these pictures are real and they're his, and some will even be of them, as a _couple_. And Kurt can't stop the wonder he feels as he thinks, _I get to show off Blaine, my boyfriend, on Facebook_.

When Carole offers to help out with the batter for the plantains, Kurt takes the camera from her and begins snapping a few photos of his own. He takes one of his dad watching the proceedings, and then of Carole and Blaine and Liz as they're gathered around the preparation table in the center of the kitchen, preparing the plantains for frying. When Deana asks for a volunteer to take on the task of frying, Kurt is surprised when it's his dad who steps forward.

"I'm an old pro at this," he announces as he follows her over to the fryer with a plate of the plantains prepared by Blaine and Carole.

"Your dad is adorable," Alex says, leaning in to Kurt as they watch Burt show off the first of his perfectly fried plantains to Deana.

"Thanks." Kurt smiles pleased to hear the recognition from others as to how his dad is so amazing.

"So, Blaine," she begins, voice a little softer. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Kurt blinks. He didn't think they'd been that apparent. He tries to think back on anything they'd done that might have given it away since they climbed into the van, but he can't come up with a single instance. So he just stares back at Alex, uncertain of what he should say.

"I'm sorry," she says suddenly. "I just thought—"

"No, it's okay. You're right, actually. I just hadn't realized we'd been," his voice lowers more, "obvious."

"Oh, you haven't. I mean no PDA or anything like that." Alex shrugs. "I guess it's just the way you two look at each other. If you weren't dating, I can't imagine you'd be that totally oblivious to it."

Kurt laughs a little and tells her, "You'd be surprised."

"Hey, Kurt!" Blaine calls out from the other side of the kitchen. "Come on. It's your turn. You're the cook around here."

Kurt rolls his eyes a little and moves to set the camera on the counter when Alex asks, "Would you like me to take some pictures of you, Blaine and your family for you?"

He smiles at the offer. "You don't have to do that—"

"Oh, I don't mind." She takes the camera from his hands. "Plus, it gives me something to do. Trust me, you do not want me near the food. That's more my dad's thing. I'm just here because of the—"

"Short straw," Kurt says for her with a smile.

She laughs. "Yeah. That."

When Kurt joins his parents and Blaine over by the stove, he's given the task of sautéing the vegetables for the marinade and turning the tuna. Blaine moves over to stand beside him, peering into the sauté pan as Kurt cooks, and occasionally exchanging amused glances with him. Kurt figures that Blaine is as hyper aware as he is that his dad is standing right there, side-eyeing the both of them. He hears Carole laugh behind them at something Deana has said to her, and it's enough to draw his dad's attention away for a moment. He finds himself thinking about Alex's comment to him, how just the way they look at one another is enough for a person to know.

Blaine is looking at him now, and Kurt understands what she means. He knows he's returning the same emotion in his gaze, but it took her to point it out to him. He wonders if Blaine knows, if he realizes that every time Kurt looks at him like he is now, he's really saying '_I love you'_. Kurt thinks he'll have to tell Blaine later. So he'll know.

For now, he smiles and mouths, _I love you_.

The way Blaine's gaze softens, his eyes darkening just a little, makes Kurt go weak in the knees. _I love you, too_, he returns silently, and Kurt kind of forgets all about the marinade until Liz appears, shoving in between them and gently scolding him for letting the vegetables burn. _Oops_.

Kurt reddens, glancing away from the cook and over his shoulder to see Alex with her hand over her mouth, covering her laughter. Oh, apparently she had witnessed the whole thing. Biting his cheek to hide his own smile, he catches his dad glancing between him and Blaine, like he knows something was going on there, but he missed it entirely.

"I think our assistance in the kitchen is no longer needed," Blaine remarks beside him with a grin.

Agreeing with his boyfriend, Kurt quickly steps away from the food preparation and back behind the island, with Blaine following. He snatches the camera from Alex, who is still watching both of them in amusement, and tells her that it's her turn to help out in the kitchen.

"Oh, well," her eyes twinkle "if you two want to be alone…"

Kurt sputters as she laughs and quickly moves away to assist his parents with the cooking. He shakes his head; he really kind of likes her.

"What was that all about?" Blaine asks as they resume their previous positions against the counter, close enough that their shoulders sometimes touch.

Kurt turns the camera on to flip through the photos that have been taken, smiling when he sees a couple that Alex had zoomed in on of him and Blaine looking at each other. He turns it in his hands for Blaine to see. "Alex made an observation about us."

"Oh?" Blaine grins at the photos of the two of them together, and a few of just Kurt being handed the spoon for the marinade, and another of Liz shooing them both away from the stove. He whispers, "Did Alex point out that your boyfriend is hopelessly in love with you?"

"Something like that, yeah." Kurt bumps his shoulder into Blaine's. "Except for the part where she pointed out that your boyfriend is hopelessly in love with you, too."

There's something about this—getting to tell his boyfriend that he loves him whenever he just feels like it. Teasing about it, seeing the flush on Blaine's cheeks whenever he says it, knowing that Blaine feels the same, says it in return. Kurt can't imagine ever growing tired of hearing it, of saying it, of knowing and feeling it. Certainly, in his wildest and most secret dreams, he imagined that some day he would have the chance—when he'd left Ohio and his childhood behind. And sometimes he feared for it then, wondering if maybe it would be too late; that he would be too bitter and angry and hurt that it had taken so long. He didn't have to wait, though. He can say it, and will say it, possibly until Blaine is sick of hearing it. _All because he can_.

Kurt's never really had the thought before, but life can be pretty damn wonderful, sometimes.

When the meal is prepared, the participants all gather around a table off to the side of the kitchen to eat while Deana and Liz clean up behind them. Burt and Phil quickly fall into a conversation with one another about forced diets (Phil apparently has problems with dairy and meat), recent medical problems, and raising children. Alex sits across from Kurt and Blaine, randomly rolling her eyes at the discussion with regards to being a parent and the trials and tribulations therein, and Kurt finds himself matching her eye roll for eye roll. Even Carole giggles with them on occasion, apparently having no interest whatsoever in being drawn into the paternally-related conversation.

The food is amazing, though Kurt hasn't decided what he thinks of the pumpkin juice. It was a mixture of so many herbs and spices that he'd ended up losing count, and while it's healthy and different, Kurt can't honestly say he'd drink it by choice. Meanwhile, Blaine's on his second glass. Also, he decided to try the one with the spiced rum. Kurt's beginning to think, between the cake and the juice that maybe his boyfriend has a thing for rum. Blaine likewise seems to love the dessert—the grapefruit is covered in nutmeg, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger, with spiced rum poured over the top. It's actually really good, but the way Blaine is eating his causes Kurt to worry that he might try to eat the rind. Then again, his boyfriend has a healthy appetite (the more grease and fried food, the better) and the meal has been very light. He has no doubt they'll be stopping by the buffet for fries later.

There's still a few minutes left before David will be driving them back to the ship, so Kurt follows Blaine out into the garden where the rain has petered off into a fine mist. The clouds still hang over the mountains around them, engulfing the higher peaks in blanket of gray that contrasts against the dark green of the vegetation. Blaine stops to play with some of the ridiculously large bay leaves on the tree in front of him; Kurt finds himself wondering if the Warblers are enjoying themselves in this weather.

"I think this is one of the prettiest of the islands," Blaine remarks as his attention is drawn from the bay tree to the cocoa one beside it.

"Yeah, pretty," Kurt agrees, watching his boyfriend as he examines some of the cocoa beans curiously. Kurt thinks about how the laws here are no different than the rest of the West Indies, and finds himself adding, "Except, you know, where it _isn't_."

"Don't be bitter," Blaine says without looking at him. He turns from the tree and gives Kurt what is very obviously a forced smile. "Ignorance, remember?"

Kurt rolls his eyes, and it isn't the least bit playful because, yes, he is feeling a bit bitter. "I can't wait until we get to St. Thomas Sunday." He turns to start toward the front of the house where the van is waiting. Blaine catches up to walk beside him. Kurt says, "Kendrick told me this morning that same sex marriage is legal in Cuba. Cuba! Also, it's been legal in Guadalupe since 1791! I can't even wrap my head around that."

He glances over at Blaine to find him watching Kurt with a hint of a smile. "Are you saying you want to marry me, Kurt?"

Briefly wondering what the laws on murder are in Dominica, Kurt shoves against him with his shoulder as Blaine laughs. "You are such an ass."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The Warblers had just as miserable time river tubing as Kurt suspected they would. In fact, they all still seem a little bedraggled and downtrodden during their performances in the Cova and Rendez-vous lounges that night. Not that it's anything the audience would notice, but during their first performance in the Cova Café, Kurt can sense a certain lack of energy that hadn't been missing the night before. Blaine is his usual perfection while singing _Everything_, and of course their duet of _I Got You Babe_ is spot on—Kurt finds himself enjoying every moment of the audience joining in and singing along with them. _Here Comes the Sun_ is a little off, and Kurt thinks it sounds as if Jeff is coming down with a cold, and Kurt actually saves _You've Lost That Loving Feeling _when Nick's voice cracks on his first line—Kurt takes over his part, and Nick looks eternally grateful. By the time they get through _Ain't No Mountain High Enough_, all the boys look ready for a nap.

Too bad they still have a second performance.

"None of you look as if you're going to make it to midnight," Kurt remarks to David as they accept praise from the passengers in the Rendez-vous Lounge, shaking hands and thanking them for coming.

"A few mentioned passing out in their rooms for the next few hours," David says with a nod as he smiles and thanks an elderly woman who tells him they're the most adorable group of boys she's ever seen. "That excursion was awful. We'll be lucky if we don't all have pneumonia when we get back to Dalton."

"Maybe you should have gone cooking." Blaine moves up beside Kurt, slipping his arm around his waist. "We had good food, shelter over our heads…"

David glares at him. "Shut up."

"They would have ruined it for the rest of us, had they been there," Kurt says.

Blaine smiles and nods in agreement. "True. True."

"I hate both of you," David deadpans. "Also, I'm going to go take drugs and sleep until the New Year's festivities. See you guys at the party."

"I'm starving," Blaine says as David walks away.

"You're always starving." They start to make their way out of Rendez-vous, heading toward the dining hall where there's apparently supposed to be a special dinner presentation in honor of the New Year. Kurt adds as they walk, "I swear you eat more than Finn."

"Now you're just being hateful." Blaine tugs him close. "I don't eat that much. Besides, all we had for lunch were a couple of small pieces of tuna—not exactly filling—and a whole batch of vegetables. I'm not a rabbit."

"Awww," Kurt teases. "I think you'd make an adorable rabbit! A cottontail—"

"Don't go there—"

"—what with the hair and all."

"You went there."

Kurt slips away from Blaine's arm, spinning and walking backwards in front of his boyfriend, who is currently glowering at him. "You know I love your hair, so don't pout. And I prefer it when you don't have all that—" he waves a hand at Blaine's currently tamed curls "—gel in it."

"Yes, well," Blaine reaches a hand up to his hair in a self-conscious manner that Kurt can't help but find endearing, "Have you ever tried to live with hair like this at an all-boys school? There may be a no-bullying policy, but good-natured teasing has no such tenet. It was like open season on me my first semester."

"Rabbit season."

Blaine blinks, staring at Kurt incomprehensibly, which just makes Kurt laugh.

"You know, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Rabbit season, duck season… No?"

Blaine is not amused. He says, "So that makes you Daffy, then?"

Now it's Kurt's turn to not be amused. He steps back up to Blaine, turning to walk normally as he slides their arms together. "Let's change the conversation, shall we?"

"No, no, no. I'm kind of enjoying this. After all, Bugs is always described as confident, smart, calm, cool and collected. A leader, if you will. The one everyone aspires to be like—"

"If you continue this pattern of thought," Kurt warns, shifting to punch his boyfriend in the arm. "I guarantee you're going to be awfully lonely when that clock strikes midnight."

"Aww." Blaine stops and tugs Kurt to him, leaning up to kiss the tip of his nose. "I was always kind of fond of Daffy and his raging emotions. One always knew where they stood with Daffy. That kind of honesty is rare."

Kurt can see that. He adds, "With Bugs, you never really knew until you were left standing with a stick of dynamite that blew your head off."

Blaine raises an eyebrow at that. "Ouch."

"Stop. You know I didn't mean it in that way." Kurt steals a quick kiss. "Let's talk about something else because now I have all of these unpleasant images of inter-species relations—ducks and rabbits, and it's unsettling."

Blaine laughs as Kurt pulls him along through the casino where the lights are a little too bright and the sounds of the slot machines all around them make the atmosphere seem like a carnival. He sees a familiar face coming toward them, and he can't really stop himself from doing exactly what they've been told repeatedly to do.

"Hi, Steve!" he calls out, and Blaine chuckles against his side.

"Well hey there, guys!" Steve, the cruise director, stops in front of them. "You two are—no, don't tell me—Blaine and… Kurt, correct? Good to see you," he shakes their hands enthusiastically and continues on without taking a breath, "Are you enjoying the cruise? Looking forward to tonight's party? It's going to be a wild one! Remember, it all starts at ten thirty up on the pool deck and continues to three o'clock! Sipra will be playing—hey, maybe the Warblers can join in for a song or two? The passengers would love that! Hey, I gotta go but hope to see you guys up there!"

Kurt and Blaine watch silently as Steve hurries away from them, moving toward the opposite end of the casino, randomly stopping here and there as other passengers call out, "Hi Steve!" Shaking his head, Kurt turns and looks at Blaine in wonder.

"Why am I always _tired_ after an encounter with that guy?"

Blaine shrugs. "I honestly think he's on a firm diet of speed and caffeine. I can't imagine any person naturally being that hyperactive."

"I don't think he sleeps," Kurt adds as they continue their way toward the dining hall. "He films that morning report at like five a.m. And he's already talking about that party tonight going until three. Plus he's always in Cosmos late at night from the sounds of it. I'd be a zombie. A walking, talking zombie."

"All zombies walk. Unless, of course, they have no legs."

"You're doing that thing again, where you're an ass. I have high hopes that if I point it out enough, one day you'll catch yourself and, you know, _not_ do it." Kurt smiles with his words, and then laughs as Blaine elbows him in his ribs.

He loves that he can pick on Blaine, be a little bit bitchy to him, and his boyfriend takes it in a good-natured manner, occasionally dishing it right back in the most surprising of moments. He's rarely had the chance to meet others who could match his wit, or who could accept it without taking it too personally. One day, Kurt knows, he'll end up saying something that will likely cross the line for Blaine, and then he'll have to do everything he can to make up for it, but for now he can just enjoy the easy banter between them.

"You guys have got to see this!" Kendrick is up ahead, waving them into the main foyer where the staircase and elevators to all of the decks converge. Flint, Byron, Dean and Galen are with him, and they're all standing around, staring at one of the photography backdrops.

In what Kurt's dad has described as "yet another way in which Celebrity can milk all of the money it can from the passengers", every night there are three different backdrops set up in the area with professional photographers at the ready to snap photos of guests dressed up for dinner. If you like the photo, you can shell out $19.95 for your very own shiny eight by ten to take home with you. Kurt has seen people with stacks of those photos in their hands, and can't help but wonder what's wrong with just using their own cameras and printing them at home. He knows his dad and Carole have posed for a few, but they haven't actually purchased one yet. They keep arguing over what they like best.

"This is the most inappropriate thing ever." Kendrick giggles as they reach him. "I mean, seriously." He waves a hand toward the backdrop in front of them.

Blaine and Kurt are both silent as they stare at it. Kendrick's use of the word inappropriate is really the best description for it. Though Kurt would add 'amusing', in a rather unsettling way. Dark humor. Yes, that's the most accurate description he can think of.

"Seriously," Kendrick says. "Who puts a backdrop of the _Titanic_ staircase on a cruise ship? And people actually keep lining up for a photo!"

And honestly, Kurt isn't the least bit surprised when Blaine suddenly yanks him forward toward the photographer, who looks a little bored as she waits for some customers.

"I think you're obsessed with this movie in a seriously unhealthy fashion," Kurt remarks as he lets Blaine pull him to stand in front of the backdrop. "I may have to form an intervention."

Blaine smirks at him before leaning in to give his cheek a quick kiss. "How can you not love Leo and Kate? Are you not human?"

"I didn't say I don't love them—I've even seen Leo's episodes of "Growing Pains", and that should say something. But this? Is kind of morbid."

"Okay you two," the photographer—a pixie-haired brunette who's about as tiny as Kurt remembers Sunshine Corazon being—begins instructing, "Angle at your shoulders, please, and face each other just a little, that's right. Cutie," she waves at Blaine, "put your right hand in your pocket—that's good—and go ahead and keep your left around his waist. And you, honey," she directs her attention to Kurt, "Go ahead and leave your left hand at your side, but bring your right hand up behind his shoulder—go ahead and hold on to him. That's perfect. Smile."

It's cheesy and ludicrous, and off to the side, the Warblers watching are laughing at them, and Kendrick says something about them being spokesmen for Hallmark. At the very last minute before the camera clicks, Blaine rises up slightly on his toes, and Kurt has to bite back his laughter and hold his smile in place as the photo is taken. The minute it's over, he shoves Blaine gently, rolling his eyes and telling him if he has such problems with being short, maybe he should wear heels.

And then he pictures Blaine in heels, and finds it ridiculously hot. _Dammit_.

The photographer takes two more photos of them—one with both their arms around their waists, which suddenly has Kurt imagining what prom might be like if he and Blaine had the chance to go, and another with Blaine kind of angled in front of Kurt, which has his boyfriend grumbling about being shorter again. Kurt pokes him in the side and tells him that it's entirely possible he'll still have a growth spurt. Blaine sticks his tongue out in response.

Apparently not wishing to be left out, Kendrick, Flint, Dean, Byron and Galen all shuffle into the front of the backdrop with them, calling out for a group photo. Kendrick is actually the smallest out of all of them, and he immediately jumps in the front, saying the prettiest one should be the most notable anyway. Blaine shoves him out of the way, saying if that's the case, he shouldn't even _be_ in the photo. Laughing, Kurt pulls his boyfriend close, and around them the boys flash 'peace' and 'hang loose' as the camera clicks.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

By the time they reach the pool deck at ten thirty-five, the party is already in full swing. The music is louder than ever as the Sipra lead singer belts out Katy Perry's _Hot n Cold_. There's not much space left around the pool area, and up above on Deck Eleven, passengers are leaning against the railing surrounding the entire open space, watching the activities below. The pool deck is where the real party is—the area in front of the stage has become a makeshift dance floor, with passengers of every age dancing with whoever happens to be standing around them. Above the band is an enormous projection screen playing video of the crowd below. The space around the pool and hot tubs are no different, and Kurt kinds of understand the point of the netting now as he watches obviously drunk passengers stumbling along the edge of the pool.

He holds tight to Blaine's hand as they push their way through the crowd. All of the Warblers plus Finn are present, and Kurt lost track of his dad and Carole somewhere along the way—they said they were going to find a place a little less crowded to watch the festivities. The people around them are dressed in their New Year's best—sequined gowns, tailored tuxedos, the occasional pair of Jimmy Choo's that make Kurt want to weep with joy. He kinds of hates that they're stuck in their Dalton uniforms for the sake of being noticed and recognized; he thinks he could be far more noticeable if allowed to dress up the way he'd prefer for New Year's Eve.

Holden and Finn are at the front of the group, maneuvering their way through the crowd in the hope of making it easier for the rest of the Warblers. Kurt can't help but find it kind of sweet, the way there's this unspoken ring of protection that they seem to form—he and Blaine, Kendrick, Thad, Nick and Flint are all in the center, with Jared bringing up the rear (he smirks at the appropriateness), and Dean, Galen, Wes, David, Byron, Brett and Jeremiah all around them. He doesn't know if it's a conscious thing or not, but it sure works in a crowd this big.

Sipra moves from Katy Perry to Gloria Gaynor, and the people go a little wild, singing at the top of their lungs and dancing. Somehow, Finn and Holden end up working their way to the center of the dance floor that really isn't, right in front of the stage.

Kurt finds himself standing next to his stepbrother, who leans down to shout with a big grin, "This is insane!"

Nodding, Kurt clings to Blaine a little more tightly. It's the crowd, he realizes. This many people, pressing in this close, and he doesn't know anyone but the boys around him. It's impossible not to feel a little vulnerable, a little like he has to protect himself. He feels Blaine's hand on the small of his back, rubbing against him in a soothing manner. Kurt gives him a smile of thanks and feels Blaine pull him a little closer. Around them, the Warblers begin kind of dancing—there isn't much one can do in this crowd other than hop up and down a lot, which is pretty much what Finn and Holden and some of the others are doing. David and Wes are actually getting a few real dance moves in, and Galen, Flint and Brett have all found dance partners in a small group of girls off to the right of the stage.

"Ever been to something like this?" Blaine is leaning in to his ear, yelling pretty much but Kurt can still just barely make out the words.

He shakes his head in response and glances at Blaine in question.

"Times Square twice," Blaine yells. "I think this is worse. More confined."

Kurt nods, wondering briefly if he's going to need a hearing aid after this. The crowd begins shouting their approval as Sipra launches into _Poker Face_. Kurt glances over to find Blaine smiling at him as he pulls away a little and begins to dance. Kurt laughs and starts moving to the music as well, and they're quickly joined by Finn, Nick, Kendrick and Jeff. Odd as it seems, there's another group of teenage boys not too far from them also all dancing together. Now that Kurt thinks about it, the ratio of teenage boys to girls on this ship is kind of off. If he were into girls, it'd be kind of depressing.

_Poker Face_ ends rather abruptly as Steve appears on stage, wearing a ridiculous cardboard top hat with '_Happy New Year'_ written in silver glitter across the front and looking entirely too excited when midnight is still more than an hour away.

"Are we all having a great time?"

The crowd cheers; Kurt resists the urge to cover his ears. Beside him, Jeff is doing exactly that. He looks like he's in pain.

"I want the people of Guadalupe off to our port side to hear how much fun you're having! Go on! Let them know! Let them wish they were on the _Millennium_ with the rest of us!"

Ear plugs. He wishes he had ear plugs. The deck of the ship beneath his feet is actually vibrating. Blaine is pressing against him again, though, and shouts in his ear, "Hey! Do you think we could make it if we tried swimming to shore?"

Kurt laughs at the memory of their conversation earlier that day, and tries really hard not to imagine marrying Blaine. He _certainly_ hasn't picked out their tuxedos or anything.

They spend the next hour dancing, getting used to the crowd and the noise, and being drawn in by their enthusiasm for the coming of the New Year. Whenever the camera centers on the Warblers, which happens a lot considering their position in the crowd, the boys go a little nuts, shouting and waving at the crowd, who simply return it when they see the enthusiasm projected on the screen. There are a couple of slow songs played, and on the first one, Kurt pulls Blaine close, immediately taking the lead, which makes Blaine laugh that wonderful laugh of his. Kurt thinks the ability to make Blaine happy has to be the greatest thing in the world. On their second dance, Kendrick somehow sneaks his way in, and it's funny and awkward, the three of them dancing together, but Kurt likes Kendrick, and he likes how whatever past animosity might have existed between the boy and Blaine doesn't interfere with their friendship now.

At one point while dancing to _Boogie Oogie Oogie_ (Kurt wants to know who decides Sipra's set list because it is insane), someone taps on Blaine's shoulder, and they look up to find Eddy and Carl behind them. They all exchange quick hugs and wishes for a happy new year, and they try to introduce the other Warblers, though it's impossible to really talk over the noise. Eventually they all just settle back into dancing with the rest of the crowd, and Kurt can't help but be amused when he glances over once to see Eddy dancing with two different middle-aged women while Carl looks on from the side of the crowd with a smile. And this is why Kurt isn't the least bit surprised when he glances past Finn's shoulder to see Blaine surrounded by a couple of teenage girls. Kurt rolls his eyes, and unlike Carl, reaches out to grab his boyfriend by the elbow and pull him back to his side. Blaine tries to call out an apology to them, while Kurt glares daggers until they turn and scatter back into the crowd.

Blaine is laughing in his ear. "Was that a little display of jealousy I just saw?"

Kurt scoffs. "I'm no more jealous than _you_."

That comment earns him more laughter as Blaine hugs him close.

Time seems to pass too quickly. There are flutes of champagne suddenly being passed among the crowd by crew members—people are just handing them from one to the other, and before he realizes it, he has a plastic flute in hand along with all of the other Warblers. Kurt can't help but scan the crowd overhead for his dad, feeling a little guilty for indulging. But, it's New Years Eve, and he isn't the only teen with a glass in his hand and maybe just this once. He takes a few sips, sneezing when the bubbles tickle his nose, and Blaine laughs and kisses him quickly. The other Warblers seem to have finished their champagne off already, but like Blaine, Kurt just continues to sip at his. He watches as the crowd around them seems to get a little more rowdy. Free champagne will do that, he figures. Steve suddenly appears onstage once more, directing attention to the overheard screen and the countdown clock that flashes across it.

"Look at that, everyone! 15 seconds to go!" Steve yells out above the screaming crowd. The Sipra drummer does a drum roll as they all watch the countdown continue. 13—12—11—

"10—" Steve and everyone on the pool deck begins shouting. "9—"

It's almost deafening, the sound of two thousand passengers and half that number of crew all counting down to midnight. Kurt can't contain his smile as he counts with them, Blaine's arm around his waist, holding him close, the Warblers surrounding them.

"6—5—4—"

Kurt turns his head, looking at Blaine as they count together, and as if realizing he's being watched, Blaine meets his gaze.

"3—2—1. Happy New Year!"

They whisper "Happy New Year" to one another as the din around them continues to rise in volume, and it's Kurt's first New Year's kiss as they move toward one another in the same moment, the crowd falling away until there's only the two of them. Kurt knows nothing but the security of Blaine's arms around him, one hand flat against his back, the warm mouth that tastes like champagne, and the probing soft tongue that tangles with his before sweeping in to taste and feel. There's _only_ Blaine in Kurt's world as this new and promising year begins; the crisp, slick feel of Blaine's gelled curls beneath his fingers—and Kurt barely recognizes that he dropped the champagne flute somewhere along the way—Blaine's chest pressed hard against his, the scent of Blaine's ridiculously expensive cologne wafting in the air around them. The scope of Kurt's suddenly tiny world is perfect; he wants to lose himself in this, in the safety and comfort and sheer familiarity of Blaine's presence. Blaine's love.

When the kiss turns to soft, short caresses against his lips, Kurt feels the shift in reality as the world around them returns-the music, the laughter, the shouts of "Happy New Years!" and the noise-makers that accompany them. They don't pull back though, even when they are no longer kissing; their noses are touching, and they're smiling at each other, and Blaine's is threading his fingers along the hair at Kurt's temple.

Until a blowout loudly and rudely stretches between their faces, smacking Blaine in the nose as they jump apart. Kendrick is laughing as he pulls the mouthpiece away from his lips, and before either of them can kill him, he throws his arms around Blaine, giving him a quick peck on the cheek and wishing him a happy New Year, and then he turns to Kurt and does the same. Suddenly, the Warblers are all there, giving one another pat's on the backs or hugs, Kurt gets kissed by no less than six of the more friendly ones—he doesn't even quite catch who other than David and Nick being two of them—and then his attention is drawn away as he distinctly hears the Warblers name mentioned over the speakers.

Blaine is laughing and nodding at the Sipra lead singer, and he grabs Kurt's hand and waves at the others to follow as he slips beneath the rope separating the crowd from the stage, holding it up for the others.

"All right!" the lead singer shouts over the mic with a smile. "Let's get these lovely boys up here to sing along with us!"

And quite honestly, Kurt thinks, while singing along with the band and the Warblers to _Celebration_ and _Dancing Queen_ and _Disco Inferno_ that he should be completely and totally ashamed. Its disco, _for crying out loud_, even if ABBA is kind of amazing. But he's having far too much fun; and his boyfriend has the entire ship and its crew enthralled by his dancing and singing next to Sipra's lead singer, a fact about which Kurt can't help but be entirely proud.

All in all, it's a good way to begin 2011.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

They have no curfew tonight and the Warblers are taking full advantage of that. The adults must have realized this, because Kurt hasn't seen his parents or Mr. Price since before the party. It's now half past three and they're all hanging out on the bow of Deck Eleven, having claimed every available lounge chair so that it's just them. Kurt thinks his lounge chair is the best; when he'd sat down in it, Blaine had leaned over and pushed at his knees until Kurt had parted his legs, and then Blaine had settled between them, snuggling back against his chest. This could become Kurt's favorite thing in the whole world, just holding Blaine like this against him, arms wrapped around his chest, gelled curls tickling the edge of Kurt's chin. He presses a kiss on the top of Blaine's head occasionally, and it always causes Blaine to kind of push back against him, as if in an unspoken thank you.

"Champagne is not good for the soul," Kendrick moans beside them. He's flat on his stomach on the lounge chair, and he looks a little green.

"Maybe you shouldn't have drunk that fifth glass," Blaine points out. He's playing with Kurt's fingers resting over his chest, pulling one up at a time, dragging his fingertips along it, and then letting go to move on to the next.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Kendrick says miserably.

Kurt smiles and nuzzles his nose into Blaine's curls. The soft scent of the gel is nice, but he'd prefer to do this after his hair had been recently washed. He'll have to keep this position in mind for the future.

Flint looks over his shoulder from where he is leaning on the railing. "I can't wait to see a sunrise on a cruise ship."

Blaine laughs a little. "You're not going to make it that long. I've never seen you stay up past four o'clock in the time I've known you. You're like Pavlov's dog—four a.m., time to sleep."

Flint flips him off.

"Do you guys miss girls?"

As one, the Warblers swing their heads over to Finn who's straddling one of the lounges, occasionally tossing a beach ball back and forth with Holden who is kind of sprawled on the deck in front of the railing. Kurt hasn't the slightest idea where the beach ball came from.

"Dude," David says, "We're not like, monks or anything."

Galen agrees. "Yeah, not to mention, there's an all-girls school just down the road from Dalton—seriously hot, rich chicks in short little uniform skirts and tight-fitting blazers. Think about it."

"My mind is all a-flutter," Blaine says blandly.

Kurt giggles into his hair.

"Dismissing the young lovers over there—and Kendrick who is apparently pining over Michael with the assistance of champagne—from any _part_ of this conversation," Wes drawls, tucking his hands behind his head on the lounge. "Like seven of us have girlfriends back home we see on the weekends. As for what the others and their right hands do, couldn't tell you."

There's some laughter, and Kurt remarks against Blaine's curls, "Just when you think Wes would never refer to masturbation…"

Blaine squeezes his arms with a laugh.

Finn is shaking his head as he catches the ball passed from Holden. "I don't know if I could do it. I mean, sure, Kurt I get—"

"You're dangerously treading on a path of thinking I suggest you _not_ take," Kurt calls out, voice filled with the displeasure he's feeling.

"Sorry," Finn mumbles. "Just, I like looking at girls every day. Like, the Cheerios in their short skirts, and when the girls wear those really tight sweaters in the winter."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "I am seriously getting nauseated."

"I know what you mean, man," Blaine begins. "The rugby team in those tiny shorts of theirs? And I have to say, few guys look better in a pair of gray trousers than David."

Kurt is already laughing uncontrollably beneath the weight of his boyfriends as Finn says, "Dude, don't need to hear that!"

"What?" Blaine asks innocently. "You started it!"

Most of the others groan, other than David who calls out a cheerful "Thank you!", and Kendrick who feels at least good enough to raise his arm and flash Blaine thumbs up.

Dropping his head beside Blaine's ear, Kurt whispers with a smile, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Blaine tilts his head back against Kurt's shoulder and beams up at him.

Over the next few minutes, some of the Warblers excuse themselves. Finn says he's heading back to the room as he stops beside Kurt and Blaine, reaching out to squeeze his stepbrother's shoulder awkwardly, almost like an apology, and then wish them both a happy New Year. Kendrick has passed out beside them, and Nick, Byron, Jared and Brett have likewise fallen asleep in their respective chairs. Laying his cheek against Blaine's head, Kurt watches as Holden walks over to his brother, gently shaking him awake and helping him to his feet to drag him off to his room. Jared's lightly snoring, which is the only sound to break the silence other than the engines and the ship moving through the waves.

Kurt shifts slightly, bending his right leg at the knee, and tucking his foot between Blaine's calves.

"Trying to keep me from going anywhere?" Blaine asks in an amused tone.

"Maybe." Kurt tightens his arms around him, and drops his head to press a kiss against Blaine's neck. He breathes deep, inhaling the scent of Clive Christian No. 1, sweat and the salt in the air all lingering on Blaine's skin.

Blaine's drawing patterns over the back of Kurt's hands with his fingers. He asks after a few quiet moments, "Have any new year's resolutions?"

Kurt thinks about it—he's never really made any beyond the requisite 'lose the holiday pounds he's packed on'. He smiles as he says, "Make certain the rest of the year is just as perfect as tonight."

"That's a tall order, Kurt." Blaine threads their fingers together, pressing their hands against his chest. "Not even the force of your very compelling personality can control outside factors."

"You think my personality is compelling?"

"Mmmm."

Kurt rewards him with a kiss behind his ear. "Okay. How about this: I resolve to make my boyfriend happy every moment that I possibly can."

"I like that a lot actually." Blaine snuggles back into Kurt, angling his head to tuck it against his neck. "Want to stay out here tonight?"

"I haven't the slightest intention of moving, to be totally honest."

"Good."

Kurt lays his cheek once more against Blaine's head, closing his eyes as he hears Kendrick whimper something about champagne in his sleep beside them.

"I love you, Blaine."

"I love you, too, Kurt."

Sleep comes quickly, peacefully.


	14. Chapter 14

_One more to go! I see an end in sight – and hopefully it is here by tomorrow! I still have that paper to write but I'm thinking if I can put it off until the morning…_

_Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. It explores a little more of Blaine's past and his issues with the decisions he's made. It's the last bit of angst in this fic, I'll be totally honest. I'm not leaving these two not happy on the end of this one. If there's a sequel (I'm not saying there will be one just because the idea is there!), but if there is one, then I will tear their happy little world to shreds. Until then, you'll just have to deal with the fluff in the last chapter. ;)_

_Also of note—I changed the rating yet again because there's some more heavy language usage here as well as a brief make out session, which could possibly lead to more in the next chapter if my beta has her way… But just so I don't get called out not adding a warning when there should be… _

_As always, thanks for your continued support on this endeavor!_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt wakes up to the extremely unpleasant and outright disgusting sounds of someone puking. He blinks at the gray light of dawn directly overhead, fully disoriented at first, until he remembers falling asleep on the bow of the ship. He turns his head in the direction of the wretched puking noises to see Blaine leaning over Kendrick, who is just kind of sprawled on his lounge, head over the edge, throwing up on the deck.

Wonderful.

"I think I'm dying!" Kendrick moans before the gagging hits him once more.

"You're not dying," Blaine assures him gently, hand rubbing over Kendrick's back. "You're just suffering the consequences of too much champagne."

Kendrick coughs, and then says, "Don't ever say that word again!"

Blaine makes a soft, comforting sound, still rubbing his back. On the far side them, Jared, Nick and Byron are sitting up, heads in their hands, looking mildly discomforted at the sounds their fellow Warbler is making.

"Someone should go find a crew member," Blaine suggests. "So they can get this cleaned up."

"To hell with that." Jared gets up. "He's the one who puked. He can clean it up!"

"Way to be sympathetic, Jared." Blaine is staring at him hard enough that Jared shifts a little under the gaze. "If I remember correctly, you've spent a few mornings like this, too. Come to think of it, I brought you ginger ale—"

"Fine!" Jared throws his hands up in the air. "I'll get a goddamned crew member!" He mutters something about Blaine's bossiness as he stalks off.

"Is there anything I can do?" Kurt asks softly.

Blaine turns in surprise, as if he hadn't realized Kurt was awake. He flashes a warm smile. "Hey there. Sleep okay?"

His voice is surprisingly intimate for the fact that he has a hand on a boy who's puking, and there are two others sitting not far away, still looking as if they may follow Kendrick's lead at any moment. Kurt can't help but feel special at how quickly Blaine can narrow his focus to only him.

"Yeah. I mean, for the three hours or whatever we actually slept. What time is it?"

"Five forty-five."

"I think I need a medic," Kendrick groans.

"No, you need some water, some aspirin and a lot of sleep," Blaine tells him. "Then you'll be fine."

Kendrick just whimpers.

Shaking his head, Blaine turns back to Kurt. "You want to help me get him back to his room?"

"Yeah. Sure."

Kurt stands and moves over to Kendrick's other side while Blaine maneuvers him into a sitting position and slowly helps him on to his feet. The boy sways precariously between them and they both tighten their grips on his arms, slowly moving out from between the lounges and making their way toward the forward hallway. They stop beside Nick and Byron, and Blaine asks if they're capable of making it to their rooms on their own. Both of them nod and stand, and even though they appear a little hung-over in their own right, they certainly don't look anywhere near as bad as Kendrick. Kurt could launch into an entire diatribe about how just because the alcohol is available, and no one is around to tell you no, doesn't necessarily mean that you should take advantage of it. He gets the feeling they'll all be hearing that from Blaine, though.

The walk to the staterooms is slow. Twice it appears that Kendrick is going to get sick again, and Blaine warns him about throwing up on their shoes, which at least causes the boy to giggle, and he somehow makes it to his room before he can't hold the nausea back anymore.

As he dives for the bathroom, Blaine and Kurt stand in the doorway, shrugging at Flint who is sitting up in his bed, staring at them in sleepy-eyed confusion. Stifling a yawn, Blaine turns to Kurt.

"I'm going to hang around and make certain he gets some water in him and gets to bed. Maybe you should—"

"Do you mind if I stay, too?" Kurt asks, reaching for Blaine's hand.

He's being selfish, he knows. He hates how they didn't wake up still curled together the way they had fallen asleep. He'd even dreamed of waking up with Blaine pressed against him, dragging him from sleep with soft kisses. Instead, there'd been puking, and his boyfriend's attention focused on someone other than him. And while on the one hand he thinks it's amazing how Blaine looks out for the other Warblers, he really only wants his full attention directed to him this morning. It's a new year, and he selfishly wants Blaine all to himself.

Blaine squeezes his fingers, smiling. "Of course not." He closes the distance between them for a quick kiss.

On the other side of the room, Flint mutters something about sleep and begins pounding his fist into his pillow really hard before flopping over to face the porthole.

Eventually, they get Kendrick to drink a couple of glasses of water, take a couple aspirin (Kurt was forced to wake his parent's up at this point, and Carole happily provided him with what he needed when he explained one of the Warblers wasn't feeling well—she didn't even ask him why he was still in uniform) and climb into bed. Kendrick is still whining like he's dying, so they hang out a little while longer, Blaine sitting beside Kendrick on the bed while he tries to fall asleep, Kurt leaning against the bulkhead across from him, quietly contemplating the complexities of the boy he's dating.

On the one hand, there's the Warblers' unofficial leader; he's not a council member but even the council listens to him. He's the front man with the majority of solos, the spokesman, the performer, the charmer. He's the responsible one who's there when the boys behave like boys, calming them, comforting them, reminding them when there's an audience and that they're representing something with time-honored traditions. He brings them ginger ale, and puts them to bed, and confronts bullies for people he hardly even knows.

And then there's the Blaine that Kurt thinks the others have never seen. He's obsessed with "Titanic", knows the name and issue month of every woman who's graced the cover of Vogue for the year, and looks adorably domestic and comfortable in a yellow apron. He has a jealous streak he hates admitting to and things dark and painful buried deep within him. He hides and controls a simmering, festering anger, as well as the hurt of knowing his parents don't love him the way that parents should.

Kurt knows both. He loves both. He loves the Blaine that took the hand of a stranger, sang to him, and gave him hope at a time when he'd been very close to drowning in his loneliness. The confident and suave 1940's movie star who makes it damn near impossible for people _not_ to like him. Not to adore him. And he loves the Blaine who sometimes holds on to him a little too tightly, kisses him a little too hard, like maybe he's afraid that Kurt will slip away or disappear in his arms. The angry Blaine who blames an entire school—people he may not even know—for the death of his best friend. The one who, though he will probably never admit it, sometimes stares at Burt Hummel like he still can't believe he's real.

There was a time when Kurt believed Blaine had it all together, that he was the most confident, mature and perfectly poised teenager in the entire world. Now he knows differently, and somehow, it's made Kurt's own world a lot less lonely.

"I think he's asleep," Blaine whispers finally, glancing up at Kurt.

Kurt nods, and gives him a smile, holding out his hand. Standing, Blaine takes it and they make their way out of the room. They're quiet as they head toward Kurt's stateroom out of some mutually unspoken agreement. Outside the door, Kurt turns and looks at his boyfriend, smiling as he reaches out to brush some curls back into place that had been mussed during the night.

"What you did for Kendrick was pretty amazing, you know."

Blaine shrugs, "Just looking out for a friend," he says, body moving in close to Kurt's leaning slightly against him, their chests pressed together. He rests his hands on Kurt's hips, and ducks his head a little as Kurt continues to play with his hair.

"Well, I kind of want to kick said friend's ass when he's feeling better," Kurt tells him softly, fingers trailing over the shell of Blaine's ear, causing his body to shudder slightly against Kurt's. "I was looking forward to waking up with you snuggled against me."

He can just barely see Blaine's smile at that, head still tucked down between them. "Can I admit something?" Blaine looks up at him from beneath lashes that Kurt sometimes considers stealing. "When I first heard Kendrick? I may have feigned sleep for as long as I could."

Kurt laughs at that, tugging his boyfriend up for a kiss as he wraps his arms around him. "I promise I will never tell anyone that you didn't immediately jump to Kendrick's rescue." He glances over his shoulder at his door before returning his gaze to Blaine. "You know, we could always go back to sleep for a while…"

And he's not surprised when responsible Blaine resurfaces, shaking his head a little and flashing Kurt a quick look of regret. "I honestly don't think I could sleep if I tried."

Kurt refrains from saying they don't have to sleep, mostly because both of their rooms are occupied.

"I'm probably going to go check on my roommate, shower…" He's studying Kurt's eyes as if trying to assess if he's angry or not. "Meet for breakfast? Unless you want to sleep—"

Shaking his head, Kurt tightens his arms around him momentarily. "No, no. Breakfast is fine—breakfast is perfect." He's not angry; maybe a little disappointed but he knows it's nothing spending time with Blaine the rest of the day won't fix. "Meet in an hour?"

"Perfect."

Another brief kiss between them and then Blaine is pulling back, giving him that bright, slightly-devilish smirk of his before heading back down the hall.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The Ocean Cafe is quiet on this heavy morning-after, and they both feel a little more at ease to tease and flirt over breakfast; it's a testament to the superpowers of Blaine's eyes that he manages to get Kurt to eat bacon for the first time in years, and _damn that's good_.

Finishing off said piece of bacon, Kurt tends to his granola and yogurt for a moment, mixing them together. "So, as I haven't seen evidence of a party in my time at Dalton yet, I take it from last night's behavior the Warblers don't participate all that often?"

"Honestly, the policy on getting caught drinking is kind of strict for the group." Blaine takes a bite of the scrambled eggs with too much cheese and grimaces a bit. Kurt tries to hide his smile and fails. "I mean, it's strict for all of Dalton, but for the Warblers it's not like you get a warning. One offense and you're out of the group."

Kurt pauses, spoon poised over his yogurt. "But the guys this morning, Kendrick—"

"No one is actually going to tell Mr. Price." Blaine waves a hand before picking up the cheese Danish and pulling it apart to eat the center. "We do look out for each other."

"Did you really just eat the cheese out of the Danish and put the rest aside?"

"What about it?"

"Honestly, Blaine." Kurt reaches out for another piece of bacon. At Blaine's look he just says, "Oh, shut up."

His boyfriend giggles, and then proceeds to pull the cinnamon roll apart until he gets to just the sticky center.

"You're like, five years old," Kurt says, reaching for his third piece of bacon. "And be careful, you're getting crumbs on your shirt."

"Yes, dear."

Kurt arches an eyebrow. "I really hate it when you do that."

Blaine smiles at him, all endearing and adorable, and Kurt can do little more than roll his eyes. This is Blaine in the morning—obnoxious to a fault. Kurt wavers between loving him even more and wanting to beat him over the head with his tray.

"Good morning, boys!"

They look up together to see Carole, Burt and Finn headed toward their tables with breakfast trays in hand. Blaine immediately scoots his chair and tray next to Kurt to make room for them while they all exchange greetings. Leaning back in his chair, and still kind of playing with the granola and yogurt concoction he's made, Kurt watches as Blaine leads the conversation, asking Kurt's dad and Carole how their night was, what their plans for the day included and pointing out that Kurt was the one who piled his tray full of bacon and there was no way he could eat it all. Finn takes that as an invitation to help out, immediately reaching over for a handful. Kurt quickly says no to his dad, and pushes the tray closer to Blaine.

"Kurt," Carole begins, smiling when he turns his attention to her. "I hope you don't mind but I went ahead and made an appointment for both of us for facials this afternoon. I was in the mood for a little pampering, and I thought you might like to join me?"

Kurt smiles and says, "That sounds perfect. Thanks, Carole." Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Blaine reach out to his plate and steal a piece of pineapple. Kurt turns to flash him a quick look before pushing his plate closer to him. Blaine gives him a smile as he grabs another piece of fruit.

"Hear they're showing the Rose Bowl tonight at six in the Casino," Burt says. "Finn and I were thinking of catching it. Want to join us, Blaine? Kurt said you were into college football."

Kurt's eyes widen slightly in surprise as Blaine says beside him, "I'd love to, Mr. Hummel. I'll only be able to catch the first hour, though. Our last two performances are tonight at seven and seven-thirty. But thank you very much for the invitation."

"Carole, I do believe that will be our cue to be shopping in the Emporium," Kurt says to her with a grin.

Blaine takes a sip of his orange juice, saying, "You're not getting my wallet."

"You two are so married, it's kinda creepy," Finn tells them, looking at them with a weird smile.

Kurt's face is actually on fire. He's sure of it. He hears his dad grunt, and Carole laughs softly, though he can tell even she is a little uncertain how to respond. Kurt feels Blaine's hand move over his shoulder, a reassuring brief squeeze.

"We're best friends, Finn," Blaine says reasonably. "Are you telling me you and your best friend don't share the same familiar 'I know too much about you' banter?"

"Me and Puck?"

"Yes, you and Puck, Finn," Kurt replies. He turns to Blaine. "And yes, they do, though there's a lot more shoving and punching and things of that nature."

"Would you be more comfortable, Finn, if I punched Kurt?" Blaine completely deadpans.

Carole laughs out loud, and even Kurt's dad chuckles. Kurt, on the other hand, elbows Blaine in the stomach.

Finn smiles at Blaine's teasing. "You're pretty cool, dude. I mean, if I hadn't said so before."

"Why, thank you, Finn. That means a lot to me."

Kurt snorts at that.

They finish the rest of their breakfast with Blaine, Finn and Burt discussing the upcoming Rose Bowl. They all lament the fact that it will be nowhere near as exciting as the game the Buckeyes played last year. Kurt honestly tries to remain interested in football for Blaine's sake, but he can only listen for so long before his mind begins wandering. At least he understands the rules better than he had the year before during his brief stint as a kicker. Blaine had refused to believe it when he told him; it took video to finally convince him. Unfortunately, that seemed to signal in Blaine's brain that Kurt was somehow interested in the sport. Now he hears about it ad nauseum. He's kind of grateful for Finn and his dad's presence at the moment.

"Well, I'm going to go try out the indoor cycling class they're having in the fitness center," Carole says as she gets up. "Kurt, our facials are scheduled for one o'clock."

"I'll set my alarm," he tells her, pulling out his cell phone. "But we'll probably just be up at the pool anyway."

"Okay, honey." She leans over to kiss Burt. "See you by the pool later."

"And what about you, Finn?" Burt asks. "Plans for the morning?"

"Actually, yeah. They've got a basketball tournament going on at the court on Deck Twelve. I promised Holden I'd stop by and kick him out of bed for it. They're supposed to have prizes and stuff."

"That sounds great," Blaine says with a smile. "Maybe we'll stop by and check it out."

Kurt can't stop himself. He rolls his eyes and holds his finger up to the side of his head in the shape of a gun as he mimics shooting himself.

It's Blaine's turn to snort. "Let me amend that—maybe I'll stop by and check it out."

Kurt pats his arm. "That's better."

As it turns out, Kurt's dad, Finn and Blaine all decide to go to the basketball tournament. Blaine and Burt just plan on watching while Finn plays, but Kurt has even less interest in basketball than he does in football. _What is he supposed to do_? He briefly considers tagging along, if only to show his boyfriend what he is willing to put up with to spend time with him. But that idea doesn't last long. Maybe a few seconds, at best. Much to his own chagrin, he can't _not_ flash Blaine a hurt expression as his boyfriend gets up from the table to leave.

"Hey," Blaine says, leaning on to the table to bring their gazes level. "You can tag along, you know."

"I'd be terribly bored." He reaches up to trace the patterns on the front of Blaine's t-shirt. "I'll probably just wander through the Emporium or maybe I'll go down to the internet café and email Mercedes. I should probably let her know I'll be available for texting tomorrow in St. Thomas."

"And then you'll be more attached to your phone than me." It's Blaine's turn to look a little hurt.

"Never." Kurt leans his head up and Blaine bends to meet him for a quick kiss.

"See you on the pool deck later?"

"Yeah." Kurt smiles as Blaine leans over once more, this time to press a kiss to the top of his head. He hears him mumble into his hair, "Love you."

Kurt flashes him a big smile as Blaine hurries off to catch up to Burt and Finn.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"I can't believe I'm still getting color." Kurt is staring down at his chest and stomach with a frown. "I need SPF 200… do they make SPF 200?"

Blaine is grinning from his lounge chair beside him, head propped on his hand as he watches Kurt. "You're just as gorgeous with color as without to me."

Kurt beams, certain he's only blushing a little bit under the praise.

They'd met up on the pool deck a bit past eleven after Holden and Finn's team had won the tournament. Little by little, the Warblers had trickled up to join them, some to simply drop into a lounge chair and go right back to sleep, and others to grab burgers and fries for their breakfast poolside. Even Kendrick eventually wandered up shortly before noon, looking a little more like himself than he had earlier. He told them he didn't even want to look at food as he'd stopped by Blaine and Kurt's lounges briefly in order to give Blaine a quick hug and thank him for what he'd done that morning.

"So, are you going to get a facial with me?" Kurt finds himself asking as he shifts slightly in the lounge chair to face his boyfriend.

"Nah." Blaine reaches out for his hand, and Kurt gives it to him, arms hanging loosely in the gap between them. "I get the feeling Carole wants to spend some time with her stepson. I'll just hang out here until you're done—I've got those future wrinkles to work on, you know."

Laughing, Kurt threads their fingers together, laying his cheek against the edge of the lounge so that they're just that much closer to one another. He's not a big fan of PDA, but it's difficult not to touch Blaine when he's looking like this, all warm and tanned and relaxed, curls falling over his forehead. Unable to do much else, he stares instead, appreciating the dark hair that covers Blaine's well-toned legs, the gentle slope from his abs to his chest, broad shoulders and a long neck that Kurt really, really wants to lick at the moment.

"See something you like?" Blaine's smirk clearly says that Kurt has been caught.

He just smiles in return. "Yeah. A whole lot that I like, actually. Do you have any idea how difficult it is not just reach out and—"

"Keep it to yourselves, fags."

Kurt automatically flinches at the words, snatching his hand from Blaine's and glancing up to see a college-age guy walking past, looking at them like they were the most repellent things on the planet. Taking a steadying breath, Kurt looks across at Blaine, watching warily as his boyfriend seems to shut down, a blank mask falling across his features like a curtain. It might have been fascinating to witness under different circumstances, and maybe if things had just ended there, but they don't.

"_What the hell did you say_?"

It's Holden.

Kurt twists in his chair to see the rugby player on his feet, blocking the guy's path. He isn't the only one. Finn is walking up beside Holden, Jared, Galen, Wes, David; one by one the Warblers are getting up, forming a circle. Kendrick's the only one still in his chair, glancing over at Kurt wide-eyed, and pale. Kurt can't see any of this going anywhere good.

"What'd you think I said?" The guy taunts; he's about the same height as Holden, maybe not as big, but bulkier with his age.

"I think you said something so ridiculously offensive, I may just have to hit you for it."

Blaine is on his feet before Kurt can stop him. "Holden, let it go—" He begins.

"Sit down, Blaine."

Kurt's honestly never heard anyone in the Warblers speak to Blaine like that, dismissively, like he's in their way. He can see Blaine bristle, fists clenching at his sides.

"Yeah, sit down homo. This is between real men."

"_What the_—"

Finn steps up before Holden can say whatever he meant to. He crowds up into the guy's space, and it's weird to Kurt, how threatening Finn can look when he wants to. "I really think you need to go elsewhere, dude. I'm kind of sick of looking at you and hearing the noise coming from your mouth."

Even the homophobe can see Finn is bigger. He holds up his hands slightly, taking a step back. Unfortunately, Jared has stepped up behind him, and the guy really has nowhere to go. He glances around, realizing he's out-numbered, and Kurt can't help but wonder if he's thinking he chose the wrong gays to verbally attack. He turns to leave, and Jared is right up in his face.

"We even so much as catch you looking at our friends the wrong way we'll kick your fucking ass and toss it overboard."

Finn actually steps in to pull Jared back, allowing the guy to pass. He glances over his shoulder once at the Warblers, but doesn't miss the opportunity to shoot a parting look of disgust at Kurt and Blaine.

Kurt's attention immediately swivels back to his boyfriend, who hasn't said anything since Holden told him to sit down; he hasn't moved. He's just standing there, eyes on the deck, hands still curled into fists, shoulders shaking slightly. Slowly, Kurt reaches down to gather up his messenger bag, shoving the tube of sun block into it, grabbing Blaine's t-shirt, all the while his gaze trained on his boyfriend. He can sense that Blaine is holding back… something. Kurt's familiar with the posture; he's been there himself many times.

"They shouldn't let assholes like that on cruise ships," Jared remarks, before turning to place his hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Sorry about that, man. What a douche."

Kurt gets to his feet. He can't exactly say to Jared, "Just leave him alone," because that would draw attention to Blaine that Kurt knows he wouldn't want. He's trying to warn Jared off with a look, but the boy doesn't even seem to notice.

Jared does seem to notice that Blaine hasn't moved, though. The others are starting to look at him, as well. Kurt moves forward as Jared says, "You okay, dude?"

"Fine." His response is clipped, angry.

Kurt takes a breath as he steps closer, and Jared pulls back a little frowning. "Wow. That's gratitude for you."

_Dammit_.

Kurt reaches out for Blaine just as he whirls as Jared and shouts, "I don't recall anyone calling _you_ a fag, Jared, so forgive me if I don't pin a fucking medal on you!"

To his credit, Jared doesn't respond. He actually looks away, glancing toward the others, who have all gone silent and still. It's one thing to see Blaine on stage, smiling and dancing and charming the hell out of their audience. It's quite another to see him like this—an angry boy who can't always be the leader they expect him to be.

The worst of it hits in the next moment as Blaine seems to realize what he's done, what he's shown. Kurt watches the slump of his shoulders, the hollow looks that appears in his eyes. His gaze darts around the clustered Warblers quickly, and then he's walking away, pushing past them, not moving quickly but with a singular purpose.

Kurt shoulders his bag and starts after him, only to come to a halt when Jared reaches out to him.

"Kurt." The uncertainty in his eyes is a little unsettling. This is Jared, after all. "I'm sorry. I didn't think—"

"It's not you guys." Kurt looks at each of them quickly. "Thank you for what you did, really. It's just—I don't expect you to understand. I'll talk to him. It'll be all right. I promise."

When Kurt reaches Blaine's stateroom, he honestly expects to find the door shut against him, unanswered and ignored at his knock. Instead, the door is open; Blaine is leaning slumped against it inside the room, eyes trained on the floor, as if he had simply been waiting for Kurt to arrive. He moves when Kurt steps inside, letting the door go as he walks over to the bed to sit down. Kurt turns, grabbing the 'Do Not Disturb' placard and slipping it over the handle before he closes the door behind him. The last thing he needs right now is a well-meaning stepbrother or fellow Warbler stopping by to check on them.

Kurt moves further into the room, slipping the strap of his messenger bag from his shoulder and setting it on the ground. He sits down beside Blaine, but doesn't reach for him, uncertain at the moment just what it is that Blaine needs from him. The silence continues for the next few minutes, during which Kurt quietly studies Blaine, watching as his breathing seems to even out and his eyes return to their soft warmth. They're still a bit too bright, and the green flecks are like tiny spots of firelight in the gold.

"Not my finest hour," Blaine says finally.

Kurt bites his lip. "Honestly, you've got a way to go to catch up to my emotional outbursts if that's the best you've got." He tries to smile but Blaine just looks at him.

"I find myself forgetting sometimes."

Kurt waits for clarification. When he doesn't get it, he asks, "Forgetting what?"

Blaine looks down at his hands. "That the rest of the world isn't Dalton." He pauses, and Kurt just waits. "Being with you, being able to just hold your hand and touch you, and the way you look at me… sometimes I forget. And then reality intrudes."

Kurt can't stop himself from reaching out then, laying his hand over Blaine's. "The way I see it, _this_ is reality. Me and you. I don't think anything else matters."

There's that look again. Kurt's having trouble interpreting it, but he knows he doesn't like how disbelieving it seems.

Blaine pulls away from him; stands and walks toward the other side of the room. He's got his arms wrapped around himself. Kurt knows that defensive posture when he sees it. He only now realizes he hasn't given Blaine his t-shirt back yet, and there's something about seeing him like this, arms wrapped around bare skin that makes him seem incredibly vulnerable.

"You know what I hate most?" Blaine asks with his back to him. "Times like these make me want to run back to Dalton. I'm such a fucking coward."

Kurt begins to deny that but Blaine turns back to him. "No, I am. It's not that I didn't have the urge to punch that asshole in the face—I did. But I just stood there and let Holden and Finn, and Jared, for crying out loud, fight my battles for me."

"They were the ones who stepped up, Blaine," Kurt reminds him gently. "They wanted to protect us. You don't know what you would have done if they hadn't been there. You very well may have—"

"You mean like when I stood up to Karofsky when he got in my face?" Blaine chokes out a laugh. "Oh, no, wait. That was _you_. You know, the boy I told I'd have his back, except I just stood there, frozen, while you had to step between us and shove him away."

Kurt feels ill. He scrambles for something to say, something to fill this inexplicable chasm that's appearing between them and who they are, and who Kurt imagined them both to be. None of this is right. "That's not—the situations are different—"

"You became my hero in that moment," Blaine interrupts softly.

_How is he even supposed to respond to that_? Everything about this conversation is wrong and backwards. Blaine came to _his_ rescue, not the other way around. Why can't Blaine see that?

Kurt tries to tell him this but the words die on his lips as Blaine says simply, "I told you I wasn't the strong one."

"That's bullshit, Blaine." Kurt lets the anger take over because right now he just can't deal with all the rest.

He stands and stalks over to his boyfriend. "With everything you've been through in your past, the crap from your parents—through all of that you still go out there and perform with a smile on your face. You're always there for every single one of your friends, and whenever _I've_ needed you, every stupid moment I've called you crying, or just needing someone to talk to you've dropped everything to be there for me. And never, not once, have I ever seen you ask for anything in return. If that's not strength, I sure as hell don't know what is! Time and again I've wished you would have needed me for something so that I didn't feel so… selfish."

He takes Blaine's hands in his, needing something to hold on to. "In the worst time of my life, you reached out to me, Blaine. You taught me that I wasn't alone. And I know it's ridiculously trite of me to say but, you kind of saved me."

_And dammit_, he's not getting through. That mask is still there, like Blaine is trying to pull away from him, like maybe he fears he's let Kurt see too much. He can't let that happen, and yet, he doesn't know how to fix this. He doesn't even really understand what it is that's broken.

"Can I ask you something?" Blaine questions after a moment of silence.

"You know you can."

"When Karofsky threatened your life, did you ask to come to Dalton?"

Kurt blinks. Of course he'd _mentioned_ Dalton to his dad, the no-bullying policy, his friendship with Blaine, the Warblers. But it hadn't been until his dad knew the truth about the threat, until the school board had overturned the decision by Principle Sylvester to expel Karofsky, and then…

It hadn't been his idea.

"I think that answers my question," Blaine says in response to Kurt's silence. He pulls his hands from Kurt's and walks past him, sitting once more on his bed.

Kurt just stands there at first, wondering how they'd gotten _here_, specifically. To this point. Has this been something Blaine has been carrying around all of these months? This confused belief that Kurt is somehow stronger? This odd fear that if Kurt peels back the layers that make up Blaine Anderson he might somehow discover he's a…coward? Kurt can't even wrap his mind around that. He's labeled Blaine a lot of things—gorgeous, charming, smart, angry, hurting, perfect in every way that honestly _matters_ to _Kurt_—but never cowardly.

"Blaine." Kurt turns and stares down at him. Blaine won't meet his gaze.

Sighing, Kurt moves over to sit beside him once more. "Baby, you really have to help me out right now because I am _so_ confused. I don't get where this is coming from. I love you. And I've only _ever_ seen you as strong, confident, brilliant and beautiful. Why can't you see that about yourself?"

Blaine is quiet, and still won't meet his gaze, but he hasn't pulled away yet. If anything, Kurt can almost sense that he's glad he's there. It gives him the courage to reach up and run his fingers through Blaine's hair, stroking softly, silently encouraging Blaine to open up to him.

"Do you know why I asked to go to Dalton?"

Kurt frowns a little. "Because of what happened to Marc, and everything after."

"I asked because I was afraid." He finally meets Kurt's gaze. His voice trembles a little as he says, "Marc was the strongest person I knew, and he couldn't… I was afraid I'd give up, too, Kurt. And so I found the safest place that I could hide, and I ran there, and I've played make-believe about whom I am and who I was ever since."

_Oh, god, you're broken_, Kurt thinks as his hand curls around the back of Blaine's neck and just rests it there. He doesn't know what to say and he doesn't know what to do, but he knows he can't let go. Even if Blaine were to get up now and walk away, Kurt would have to follow. He thinks _if I let go now, I'll never get him back_.

It's the _what_ of what to say that matters right now, and Kurt struggles for a moment. Blaine doesn't like people feeling sorry for him anymore than Kurt does. He's not telling this to Kurt because he wants his sympathy—that would make it easier to provide a response. No, Blaine is being open and honest because he thoroughly expects it to make a difference.

Blaine's still punishing himself for Marc's death, and his subsequent reaction to it.

Kurt takes a breath…and rolls his eyes. "Seriously, Blaine Anderson, if that's all you've got, I'm a little disappointed. All this time I've thought there's no possible way I could have met a guy this ridiculously perfect, not to mention convince him to fall in love with me, and there not be some horrible flaw attached. I've been waiting to find out you're an axe murder or a mobster or into cannibalism or something. And this is what you give me—that you're _human_? Guess there'll be no Lifetime TV movie about my life just yet!"

When Blaine tries to pull away, Kurt doesn't let him. He puts his hand on Blaine's chest and shifts, angling his body so that he's right up in Blaine's personal space. Something flares in Blaine's gaze that's very much like anger, and Kurt takes that as a good sign.

"Do you honestly expect me to be shocked because you feel fear, Blaine? Because maybe you've made choices you regret? Should I begin listing all of the times I've been afraid? The stupid things I've done that I wish I could go back and change?"

"You didn't r—"

"Run? No, I didn't. And do you know why? _Because I didn't have to, Blaine_. My dad has always been there for me, supporting me, loving me. My friends have been there. I didn't ask to go to Dalton because I didn't think it was an option—the tuition isn't something my family can afford, but they decided I was worth it. _I _didn't make that decision, but I am really _fucking_ glad that they _did_."

_Oh god, I'm getting through_. He hears the hitch in Blaine's breath, sees the tempering of the honey-gold in his eyes, and feels his heart beating beneath the warm skin under Kurt's hand.

"I've never been good at hiding my emotions, Blaine. I cried in front of you the day we met. But you, you bury everything so deep inside of you, and I get that, I _do_, and I need you to understand that every little crack you show me, every fear, every moment that you lose control, just makes me love you more. You can argue that logic the rest of your life if you want to," Kurt says when he notices Blaine's about to say something, "but it's not going to change anything."

Kurt gives in to the sudden need to kiss Blaine. He leans in and presses their lips together in a firm kiss, and Blaine doesn't resist. Kurt curls his fingers in the curls at the nape of Blaine's neck, and pulls back just enough to tell him, "Until you can accept that you're the amazing and strong and wonderful and perfect boy that _I_ see you as, let me be strong for you, for once. Let me be strong for both of us. To hell with the world outside of Dalton. It doesn't matter. _You _and _I _matter. And maybe this isn't forever, but it's certainly for right now, and _dammit_, Blaine, we're not alone anymore. Neither of us."

He kisses Blaine again, and this time, he feels Blaine's arms wrap around him, pulling him closer. Kurt sighs with relief as Blaine whispers into his mouth, "You are so amazing to me, Kurt. _God_, I love you so much."

It's the emotion in Blaine's voice, more than anything else, that has Kurt pushing him back against the bed, climbing over him, fusing their mouths together as he straddles Blaine's hips, and all he can think is _please don't push me away, please don't push me away_. And Blaine doesn't. If anything, he's pulling him closer, hands sliding beneath Kurt's shirt to splay across his lower back. Kurt gives in to the temptation from earlier on the pool deck, breaking away from Blaine's mouth, his heart pulsing at the whimper that issues from the back of Blaine's throat as their kiss ends. He kisses his way down Blaine's jaw to his neck, sucking and licking at the skin there, tasting sun block and warmth, and Blaine shifts beneath him, angling his head back, giving Kurt better access. And for a moment, Kurt can't move; he stills with his mouth pressed against Blaine's neck, and he can't believe this boy is his, his to kiss and taste and touch and explore.

"Kurt?" Blaine questions softly, and it's enough to bring him back to himself, biting gently at the skin beneath his mouth and he feels Blaine's hands tighten against his back, descending lower, fingertips pressing at the waist band of his swim trunks.

Shuddering at the slide of Blaine's hands, Kurt kisses his way down the chest beneath him, marveling at the sheer expanse of tanned, smooth skin that is his to touch and taste. He skims his palms downward as he moves, pausing to trace his fingertips around Blaine's nipples. The boy beneath him gasps softly, moving into the touch. Fascinated, Kurt repeats the touch, slower this time, lighter. He bends his head and traces the left nipple with his tongue, and Blaine's hands are tangling in his hair now, and this encourages Kurt, and he takes the hardening bud between his lips and suckles at it. Blaine whispers his name in a way Kurt's never heard it spoken before; it makes his insides turn to jelly, and he just keeps sucking, dying to hear it again.

"Kurt. _Kurt_." Blaine is tugging on the strands of his hair, and Kurt allows him to pull him back up, lips pressing together and tongues meeting once again.

Kurt can practically feel the need wafting off of Blaine, burning through his kisses and his touch and the quiet little moans in the back of his throat. It's a heady sensation, knowing that there's someone who desires him like this, who he can reduce to a puddle of goo in the same manner that Blaine reduces him to one, sometimes with little more than a look. It makes Kurt grow bolder, discovering all the different curves and angles of Blaine's neck and shoulders, and stomach—so like his and yet so different. Where Kurt is trim, Blaine is a little more solid (considering how much he jumps around while singing, this doesn't surprise Kurt); where Kurt is pale, Blaine is rich (_like milk compared to malted vanilla_, he thinks); where the hair is soft and fine on Kurt, it's crisp and curly on Blaine. Kurt thinks_, I could have hours and I wouldn't be able to explore him enough_.

He moves away from Blaine's mouth once more—feels Blaine's teeth graze against the side of his neck—and he nips at the lobe of Blaine's ear before sliding his tongue into the concave. Blaine's hips thrust upwards against him, grinding into his thigh, and Kurt freezes again, breath catching in his throat because _that's Blaine's dick rubbing against me_! It's new and amazing and Kurt just takes a tiny moment to let it all sink in because, yeah, he was getting hard before but _now_, now the evidence of Blaine's own hard on is pressing against him, and that has to be the hottest thing ever.

Instinctively, he meets the next thrust with his own, and Blaine's eyes shoot open and they're looking at one another with matched expressions of… terror, maybe? That's a little what Kurt's feeling, at least, in between the _OMG is this really happening_? and all of the other moments when he has no concept of thought whatsoever. And then Blaine's hands are settling on his hips and he—Kurt honestly thinks his brain is exploding—pulls Kurt down against him as he thrusts upwards again. Kurt doesn't stop the whimper that escapes from his throat, dropping his head down against Blaine's shoulder, and just moving with him, scrambling for the best position, the most friction, the—

"_I know you think you're special when we dance real crazy. Glam-aphonic, electronic, disco baby_—"

Blaine and Kurt both freeze. Blaine lifts his head off the pillow. "Is that… Gaga?"

Kurt lets out a cry of supreme frustration as he rolls off of the bed (_and Blaine, for crying out loud_!) to dig through his messenger bag for his cell phone.

_"I like you a lot lot, all we want is hot hot, boys boys boys, we like boys in_—" Kurt turns the alarm off, pushing at the button rather viciously as he says, "Cock-blocked by a damn facial!"

Behind him, Blaine starts laughing. _Really_ laughing. Kurt turns to stare at him as he's holding his sides, rolling back and forth on the bed, and every time he looks at Kurt, he just bursts out laughing again.

"Did you-did you just honestly say you were—were cock-blocked by a—a facial?" He loses it again.

Kurt's mouth twitches as he attempts to hold in his own laughter. Unfortunately, the harder his boyfriend laughs, the more difficult it becomes for Kurt not to join in until he finally launches himself at Blaine, planting his hands on his shoulders and staring down into his face as Kurt also begins to giggle.

"Stop laughing!" He demands, laughing himself as Blaine just cracks up once more. Kurt sits up, straddling Blaine's hips. "You have seriously lost your mind! I call a cock-block when I see one, and this facial qualifies." Kurt pokes him hard in his chest.

"Ouch!" Blaine is still giggling as he rubs at the area Kurt poked. He smiles up at Kurt in an amazing way, eyes shining. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you are?"

Kurt arches a brow, preening. "Not in the last few minutes, no."

Grabbing Kurt by his waist, and causing him to squeal at the sudden movement, Blaine rolls them over so that they're laying side by side, facing one another, the tips of their noses barely touching. "You're wonderful," he whispers.

Kurt smiles, laying his palm against Blaine's cheek for a moment before sliding his fingers back through his hair. "Will you still be here when I'm done?"

Blaine nods, turning his head to kiss the inside of Kurt's wrist. "Yeah, I don't—" He cuts himself off, but Kurt can finish the sentence for him—_I don't want to go back up there right now_. "I may watch a movie or something."

"Watch "Inception"," Kurt suggests with a wink. "Nothing like a little Leo, Joseph and Tom to get your mind off of things."

"True," Blaine says with a short laugh. "True."

Kurt sits up and grabs his messenger bag, digging through it for Blaine's t-shirt, which he lays on the bed as Blaine sits up behind him. He feels Blaine's wrap around his waist from behind, and then his chin is resting on Kurt's shoulder, and Kurt just leans back into his embrace for a moment.

"Thank you," Blaine whispers in the ensuing silence. "Thank you for—"

"You never have to thank me, Blaine." Kurt turns his head to place a quick peck against his cheek. "This is what people do when they love each other, right? Be there for each other, no matter what?"

Blaine smiles and his arms tighten around Kurt. "When did you suddenly get so wise?"

"Pfft!" Kurt rolls his eyes. "I've always been this wise. It's not my problem you're just now noticing!"

He squeezes the arms around him before pulling away to stand and slip his bag over his shoulder. He leans down, meeting Blaine for another soft kiss. "I'll be back soon," he promises.

"I'll be waiting."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Kurt finds Carole waiting for him outside of the Aqua Spa. She smiles as he approaches and slips her arm around his shoulders for a brief hug. "Having a good day?"

Kurt thinks he can't exactly tell her that he'd just been about to have a very good day, before being rudely interrupted by Gaga and his facial appointment. And most everything before that… "It's had its ups and downs, actually."

His stepmom stops in the hall, turning to face him with a concerned look. "Why? What's happened? You didn't have a fight with Blaine, did you?"

"No, I mean, nothing like that." He glances toward the reception area where a couple of young women, dressed smartly in all black, stand looking bored behind the counter. "Something happened out on the pool deck today, and Blaine… it opened up some issues."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Does he? He glances back to Carole, and thinks about it. She would be the safest person to talk to when it came to his relationship with Blaine. He would be uncomfortable talking to his dad, and he is sure his dad would be equally uncomfortable in return, no matter how hard he would try for Kurt's sake. There's Mercedes, but she really hasn't been in any more relationships than he has (aside from that odd not-relationship that occurred between her and Puck last year). If his mother were alive, she would be the one he knew he would be able to turn to for advice. And Carole, even though she hasn't been a part of his life for very long, is the only mother he has had since losing his.

"After the facials, maybe?" Kurt suggests. "We could sit and talk. I think… I mean, I need to."

Carole nods and reaches out to touch his arm. "Of course, sweetie. Anything you need to talk about, okay?"

Kurt smiles. "Thanks, Carole."

They check in for their appointments, and a tall blond woman comes out a few minutes later and calls his name. Kurt tells Carole to enjoy her pampering before he follows the woman who introduces herself as Sharon, back into a private room. She instructs him to sit in the comfortable recliner, and then busies herself with turning on some soothing music and pulling out the products and instruments for the facial. She asks him if he's had a facial before, and of course he has, so then she asks if he's specifically had an aroma therapy facial, which he has not.

The next few minutes are spent with Sharon explaining to him what all the aroma therapy facial will entail. Kurt can't help but think after today, he can seriously use some aroma therapy. Once the explanation is finished, Sharon asks him to just lay his head back and relax for the next fifty-five minutes.

The problem, of course, with relaxing with nothing but the sound of instrumental music and the drone of the ship's engines, and gentle fingers massaging the tension out of his face is that Kurt is left with nothing but his thoughts. He'd had a short reprieve from those in the room with Blaine before his alarm had rudely interrupted them. He might actually not be able to ever listen to Gaga in the same way again. And it wasn't just because he was delving into the hottest moment of his life (although that was certainly a large part of it), but also because the moment he was pulled away from his distraction with Blaine, he began thinking about everything that had happened.

He's spent the last few months looking up to Blaine like he was some kind of superhero. It's one thing to fall for a guy who saves you like Superman, acts more like Clark Kent… and then you find out one warm winter's day in the middle of the Caribbean that he actually has more issues than Bruce Wayne. And wow, Kurt really paid too much attention to everything Sam talked about those first few weeks.

Kurt had fallen in love with the Blaine he'd truly believed had saved him. When Kurt's world had seemed darkest, Blaine had appeared, all bright and confident and filled with answers—that may have not always been the right answers, but at least he had been trying. No one else had. Blaine couldn't have been anymore perfect in Kurt's eyes if he had appeared riding a white stallion. Honestly, the fantasies that had run through Kurt's head in those first few weeks had been ridiculous, now that he looks back on it. And he'd forced poor Mercedes to sit through "Ever After" , "The Princess Bride", and Disney's "Cinderella" of all things more times than he could count. And maybe things like that hadn't exactly helped Kurt's spiral into All Things Perfect Such as Blaine Anderson.

It's why Kurt is struggling now with what he is supposed to do. Hearing about Blaine's parents had been one thing—Kurt knew he was lucky, knew that there were so many kids who didn't have the unconditional love that his dad felt for him. But the story about Marc, and how obviously it has affected Blaine in so many ways… Kurt doesn't know how to respond to it. He doesn't know what Blaine needs from him in order to make this better. All he knows is Blaine does need something, or else all that anger and fear he keeps locked away is going to continue to eat at him, and one day, it might be all that's left.

Kurt doesn't think the confidence and charm is all an act. If it is, his boyfriend deserves an Oscar. No, he sees it as much as a part of Blaine as his occasional dorkiness, the annoying remarks that sometimes come out of his mouth, the obnoxious morning personality, his remarkable talent, and even little pieces of the anger and hurt. But it's the continual mask Blaine wears—the Prince Charming act—that may one day not be enough. There will be a point when he'll need to rely on it the most, and it will crack and crumble, like today on the pool deck, providing the boys who look up to him and rely on him a glimpse of what is truly lurking there inside.

It's Blaine's self-loathing that worries Kurt most of all. Nothing had been more difficult to hear than Blaine's acknowledgment that he was afraid he could be capable of taking his own life. That one day he might just give up. Kurt feels nauseous just thinking about it. He knows that with that simple admission, he is going to worry about Blaine constantly, and he can't… he can't ever let Blaine know that because Blaine wouldn't be able to accept it.

"Try to relax," Sharon says, interrupting his thoughts. "Your facial muscles are tensing."

Kurt lets out a breath. "Sorry," he says, trying to push thoughts of Blaine hurting himself from his mind.

"Just listen to the music. Rest your mind," she instructs. "You have positively beautiful skin."

Kurt smiles proudly. "Thank you."

Sharon begins describing the additional benefits her treatment will provide to his skin, and Kurt's thoughts wander once more. He tries to make a mental list of the things he needs to help Blaine overcome.

Blaine thinks himself a coward. Kurt can't even process the thought. No coward walks up to a football player and tries to convince him to come out of the closet. But how does he convince Blaine otherwise?

Blaine is afraid he'll end up like Marc. Kurt doesn't think it's possible. Blaine may not see it, but Kurt thinks his grasp on life is too tenacious to let go. Besides, Kurt's there now, and he's never going to let such a thing happen.

Blaine hates that he ran. Honestly, Kurt has his own misgivings about leaving McKinley, whether his safety was involved or not. Maybe that's something they can work on together.

Blaine doesn't have much familial support. Well, he has Kurt now. And Burt and Carole and Finn. And the Warblers. Kurt's pretty certain they can all help support him just fine.

Blaine's in love with him. That's totally nothing that needs to be worked on, but Kurt likes to think about it on occasion. They love each other. He can't begin to imagine that somehow their love and friendship and support of one another won't be enough to get them through any of this. The thought makes him smile.

"That's better," Sharon tells him softly.

An hour later, Kurt is standing in the reception area, waiting for Carole. His face feels amazing; and he actually does feel a little more relaxed than when he went in. He figures it will make things easier for trying to talk to Carole, even though he honestly doesn't know what he is going to say. It's not really his place to tell her everything Blaine shared with him, so he mulls over the best way to explain the issue without giving too much away. By the time she appears, full of smiles and praise for the treatment, Kurt thinks he knows what he wants to ask her.

They sit down in the aft bar of the pool deck. Carole has a glass of Chardonnay and he has a diet Coke, and they talk for a while about their facials and make fun of the music that had been playing overhead. When Kurt grows quiet, his thoughts drifting once more to Blaine as he plays with the straw in his glass, Carole finally asks him what he needs to talk about.

Kurt leans back in his chair, staring at the table. "You know how I told you and dad that things aren't really good with Blaine's parents? Well, there's a lot more, too. I don't… I'm not sure how much I should tell you because Blaine just doesn't open up to people, and the fact that he has to me… " Kurt trails off.

"It makes you feel special, doesn't it?"

He looks up, nodding at her words. "Yeah. Yeah, it does. And I don't want him to ever think he can't come to me with all of this stuff he hides from the rest of the world." Kurt leans forward again, propping his elbows on the table and burying his face in his hands. "There's so much he hides inside of himself, Carole, and I'm so afraid that one day he just won't be able to handle it anymore."

"Honey, what brought all of this out?" Carole reaches across the table, laying a comforting hand on his arm.

Kurt drops his hands. "Don't tell, Dad, okay? I don't want him to worry. Especially since we only have a day left on the ship anyway. Just, promise me you won't tell him?"

Carole looks undecided. "Kurt, if it's something your dad should—"

"Please, Carole? Everything is all right. He doesn't need to know."

She sighs and finally nods. "Very well. I promise."

Kurt takes a breath. "Today while we were here at the pool, a homophobe walked by and called us fags—"

"Kurt!—"

"Finn and the Warblers, they were all there, and they kind of got up in his face and made him leave," Kurt says quickly to reassure her. "Nothing happened beyond some words. It's just—Blaine kind of lost his cool on Jared, and everyone saw it, and Blaine just kind of broke down when we got back to the room. He let me see a lot of what is going on inside, and—I don't even know how to deal with it! I want to. I want to help him because he helped me, you know? He helped me get through one of the worst times of my life, and I love him, and I want to make sure he's okay."

Kurt looks over at Carole to see that she still seems to be trying to get past her upset over what had happened to them. He waits quietly, fairly certain in his trust that she won't tell his dad about it. Finally, she nods a little bit and takes a breath, giving him a small smile.

"You say Blaine helped you get through these last few months," she begins. "What was it that he did?"

"He was just there, I guess," Kurt says with a shrug. "Anytime I needed to talk, he was there to listen. Anytime I needed someone to distract me, he'd take me out to a play or a movie. Before I transferred to Dalton, sometimes we'd get on Skype and just do our homework—we didn't even talk much. But it was nice knowing he was there in case I wanted to talk."

"And don't you think just being there for Blaine while he works through whatever problems he has would be enough as well?" Carole asks softly. "As I'm sure you may have learned with his help, most of the time simply having someone there to support and love you is all you really need to make it through the worst events of your life." She smiles a little sadly. "Sometimes it isn't even the support they offer, but your own knowledge that maybe you're needed in return. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had Finn to care for and love when I lost my husband. And I know your dad got through the loss of your mom because he had you. For all you know, Kurt, you may have been helping Blaine all this time in the same way he was supporting you."

Kurt frowns as he thinks that over. The idea makes sense—focusing on someone else to get you through the rough times. And maybe, if Blaine can focus on the two of them and whatever they might need to face together, then maybe one day he'll be able to leave his past behind him.

"Thanks, Carole," he says with a smile. "I think I get it. I mean, I hope that someday Blaine does, too."

Before they head back to the staterooms, Kurt hugs her and tells her he's glad he has a mom, again. He thinks she has tears in her eyes as she pulls away.

When Kurt knocks on Blaine's door, it's Holden who pulls it open. Kurt is about to say something when Holden holds a finger to his lips, nodding over his shoulder. Peering past him, Kurt can see that Blaine is asleep on his bed. He nods as he steps inside, and Holden is still standing at the door. He touches Kurt's shoulder, and Kurt turns back to look up at him.

"He was asleep when I got here," Holden whispers. "Is… is everything okay?"

Kurt nods. "It's all good," he whispers in return. "Just… I mean, don't—"

"I won't," Holden promises. "Glad you're here, Kurt." He pats his shoulder before turning and slipping into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

Making his way quietly over to the bed, Kurt stands there for a long moment, debating what to do. "Inception" is playing on the TV, but it's muted. Kurt stares at Joseph Gordon-Levitt for a brief moment, before turning back to the boy on the bed. He realizes he's never actually seen Blaine sleeping before. Both times on the cruise, they've fallen asleep together. And at Dalton, well, honestly Kurt has questioned if Blaine sleeps at all. The boy seems to be everywhere at all times.

It's certainly true in Blaine's case that he looks younger in sleep. His face isn't composed into that perfectly charming mask of his. He isn't making those ridiculously goofy expressions he flashes while singing—seriously, his boyfriend has one of the most expressive faces Kurt's ever seen. He looks completely peaceful, and a little heart-wrenchingly beautiful.

Gingerly, Kurt sits on the edge of the bed and reaches up to brush the curls from Blaine's forehead. He traces his fingers ever-so-lightly down his cheek, feeling the prickle of stubble along his jaw. He thinks how he'd be perfectly content to be able to just stare at Blaine forever. And he wonders for at least the five hundred and sixty-fifth time that week how in the world Blaine is actually _his_.

As if subconsciously feeling Kurt's gaze on him, Blaine's eyes slowly blink open. Kurt leans down as a warm and sleepy smile appears on Blaine's face. "Hey," he whispers.

"Hey back." Kurt presses their lips together and Blaine hums softly against his mouth.

As the kiss ends, Kurt lays his arms across Blaine's chest and just leans on him, resting his chin on his hands as he gazes at his beautiful and still half-asleep boyfriend.

"How was the facial?" Blaine murmurs, one hand coming up to play with Kurt's hair.

"Pretty wonderful, actually. You didn't make it through much of the movie, I see."

"Too much existentialism for my fried brain today. So I muted it and stared at the pretty men, drifting off to sleep and dream sordid fantasies involving—"

"I really don't want to hear about you and Leo right now."

"Actually, it was me and Tom. But if you'd prefer to pretend it was Leo this time around—"

Kurt kisses him to silence him. When he finally pulls back, Blaine's eyes are a little dazed. "You were saying?"

"I don't remember. I do recall waking up to find the most beautiful boy on the planet hovering over me, though."

Kurt flushes. "I'm not the most beautiful boy on the planet."

"Yeah, you are." Blaine's tone is soft as he says it, drawing his fingers along Kurt's cheek. "I thought so the first moment I turned and saw you standing there on the staircase above me. Why do you think I took your hand? I just wanted to have the chance to touch you, to know if you were real."

Sliding his arms around Blaine, Kurt presses his head against his chest and closes his eyes. "I still wonder that about you every single day."

There's a peaceful, momentary silence, and then Blaine says, "So, are you thinking what I'm thinking? That maybe we're both trapped in the "Inception" universe and—"

Snorting in disbelief, Kurt sits up, yanking the pillow out from under Blaine and proceeds to smother him with it. "I cannot believe," he begins, pulling the pillow up briefly before shoving it back over his boyfriend, who is laughing beneath it, "how much you love to ruin," he pulls the pillow back again, makes a face as Blaine still laughs, and covers his face again, "absolutely perfect moments with movie references." He pulls the pillow back once more, and glares. "Seriously, it's a problem with you."

Kurt squeals as Blaine grabs him around the waist, rolling him over toward the other side of the bed, and Kurt struggles briefly, which was honestly a stupid thing to do, and they both tumble over the side, head first onto the floor.

There's laughter and cries of dismay over bruised heads and bumped elbows. They end up laying there on the floor, side by side between the two twin beds, shoulders pressed together, giggling over Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, facial innuendos and cock-blocking spa treatments.

Neither of them brings up the events from earlier that day.

Neither of them has to. 

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

When they meet up with the other Warblers later that night—after Kurt had to drag Blaine away from the Rose Bowl game with his dad and Finn in the Extreme 11 Lounge—for their last two performances on the ship, Kurt finds himself hovering close to his boyfriend. He eyes each Warbler warily as they greet them, David stepping up to ask them if maybe they wanted to save _I Got You Babe_ for their closing number, Holden asking Blaine for an update on the game because he totally got sidetracked by some hot chick in the Ocean Bar, Kendrick lamenting the fact that champagne was somehow still a legal substance.

Not one of them brings up what happened at the pool. Not one of them asks how Blaine is doing. And more importantly, not one of them treats or looks at him differently. Not even Jared, who only five minutes after their arrival, makes one of his usual rude jokes at Blaine's expense. No special treatment. No askance looks or wariness. There simply seems to be a silent consensus among them: Blaine is still their unspoken leader, and everyone has a meltdown from time to time.

Kurt's certain he couldn't love every single member of the Warblers more than he does that night.


	15. Chapter 15

_FINISHED! *fist pumps* If you are still here reading, be proud of yourself! You made it over 110,000 words! How you all stuck around that long is freaking beyond me! I feel like I need to bake you all brownies or something, but when I see the unique hits here numbering in the thousands, I quickly change my mind about the brownie thing... O.o Just, thank you guys so much for reading, and reviewing. It means so much to me, you don't even know._

_Will there be a sequel? That's a very firm maybe. The prologue and story are already in my head *curses* BUT my ability to write it out depends on the show (If I stray too far from acceptable canon I can't see it) and how much a sequel is really needed or desired. Hope you have enjoyed this!_

_~Ae_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Magen's Bay in St. Thomas is supposed to be one of the top ten beaches in the world. Kurt isn't quite seeing it. Of course, it could be because he had spent the first half hour after disembarkation huddling under a tiny five by five tent to avoid the pouring rain, and he'd only gotten the overhead cover he did because Blaine had graciously chosen to just get wet. The families huddled under the tent apparently didn't think teenage boys needed to come in from out of the rain.

Okay, so Blaine had also looked ridiculously adorable soaked as he had been, dark curls plastered against his head and an expression of utter resignation permanently molded on his face.

The other boys had chosen the wet route as well, Finn making a brilliantly obvious statement that hey, they planned on swimming at the beach anyway, so why wait? It was warm, at least, and it wasn't supposed to rain all day, so…

Except that it is still overcast, and occasionally the clouds decide to open up and drop a light drizzle over one of the unsurprisingly empty top ten beaches in the world.

Blaine is in the water with Nick; they'd spent the first fifteen minutes or so just enjoying the surf, but now they are further out, dark heads bobbing along with the waves. Kurt honestly isn't watching his boyfriend like a creepy stalker or anything; he's just watching Blaine's interaction with Nick. He has no doubts about what they've been discussing for the last half hour. While he truly believes Blaine isn't sharing the whole back story with Nick like he had with Kurt, he's fairly certain Nick would be the only one of the Warblers brave enough to bring up Blaine's loss of control on the pool deck yesterday. He kind of wishes he were in on the conversation, except that he's also fairly certain Nick would never have felt comfortable bringing it up around him. He thinks there might be some weird kind of power struggle between him and Nick over who has the right to be more concerned over Blaine's welfare. He doesn't think it will interfere with their friendship—if anything, it might strengthen it due to the common bond—but still, the line between Blaine's friend and Blaine's boyfriend has clearly been drawn.

"I think it might rain here more than Ohio," Kendrick remarks as he flops on to Blaine's towel beside Kurt. He's facing headfirst toward the surf, lying on his belly, head propped on his hands.

"That would certainly explain the rainforests."

Kendrick glances over his shoulder at him, grinning. "You're such a bitch. I never realized that prior to this cruise. Before I thought you were cute and sweet. But no, bitch is a much better description."

Kurt smiles and shrugs, gaze returning to the water, where Blaine is currently dunking Nick under a wave. He can't help but wonder what Nick said to garner that reaction. The pocket of his swim trunks suddenly vibrates, and he reaches in to pull out his cell phone. Thank God they're back in US territory.

**From: Mercedes Jones**  
_U up, boo? Got ur email._

Kurt smiles, sitting up to type: _Sitting on a beach. It's raining. K called me a bitch_.

"By the way," Kendrick says, rolling over on to his back, raised up on his elbows to face Kurt. "Double-date next Friday. Michael wants to see "The Green Hornet"." Kendrick pulls a face.

"I can honestly say I don't have the slightest interest in that movie." Kurt checks his phone when it vibrates again.

**From: Mercedes Jones**  
_Who the hell is K? And do I need 2 kill some1?_

Kurt finds himself picturing the meeting between Mercedes and Kendrick. It makes him laugh softly as he types: _Warbler. Kendrick. And no_.

When he looks up, Kendrick is watching him with a look that's easily readable. Kurt sighs. He kind of knew this would be coming because, well, it's Kendrick, and he doesn't think the boy stays quiet about things for too long.

Deciding that it would be better to cut off the conversation before it can start, Kurt says, "Look, I can tell you're going to ask about yesterday, but don't. Okay? Last night was awesome. How everyone just went back to normal. Let's stay there."

Kendrick's brow furrows a little as he digs into the sand beside the towel with his fingers. He seems to be considering what he wants to say, which is admittedly odd from what Kurt knows of him. "I wasn't going to ask anything," he says after a moment. "I wouldn't put you on the spot like that. It's kind of obvious that Blaine has shared things with you that he hasn't with anyone else at school, and that's cool. I was just going to sayI was glad you were there yesterday—how you responded. To say the whole thing was a little," he seems to struggle for the word, "unsettling is an understatement. It was kind like seeing Superman reacting to Kryptonite. All you can think is _wow, if the Man of Steel has a weakness where does that leave me_?"

Kurt arches an eyebrow. It's a particularly apropos comparison.

"Anyway," Kendrick continues, lying back flat on the towel to stare up at the overcast sky. "It's not like we don't all have our breaking points, you know? I even found out I had one last year."

Kurt waits quietly for Kendrick to continue. He glances quickly at the screen of his phone to see another text from Mercedes:

**From: Mercedes Jones**  
_Oh! Team gay? Is he cute?_

**To: Mercedes Jones**  
_Yes & yes. Not like that, tho'. More later._

"Last Valentines I went out to get something for Michael," Kendrick finally says, still talking to the clouds overhead. Kurt lays his phone beside him and wraps his arms around his legs, giving the boy his full attention. "We'd been dating for approximately two weeks, so I was kind of in that stage of needing to get him something so he would fall madly in love with me and never, ever leave."

Kurt smiles. He knows the feeling.

"After finding the perfect gift—don't ask what it was, it's embarrassing—I was so excited I went on and on to the girl behind the counter about my boyfriend and how I hoped he liked it. She was really nice about it, putting up with my rambling and assuring me he would love it. So she hands me the bag and I go to leave, and then I see these three guys watching me. They're just kind of hovering not too far from the counter, whispering to one another and looking over at me. I tried not to think too much of it—I mean, when does shit like that _not_ happen, right?"

Drawing a breath inward, Kurt nods; he thinks about yesterday, about McKinley, about how he isn't certain he wants to hear the rest of Kendrick's story.

"So I head out of the mall to my car, and it isn't until I'm almost there that I realize they're following me. I didn't want them to realize I'd caught on, and it was the hardest thing I'd ever done, but I remained calm and just walked to my car, climbed in, and locked the doors. I remember looking at the rearview mirror and watching them walk past—they were all looking inside, but they kept walking so I thought I was safe."

Kendrick props himself up again, squinting at Kurt. "You know how in horror films, there's always the girl who gets away from the axe murderer or whatever, and she and the audience are all thankful she made it, and then when you know you should expect it, but you really don't, suddenly the guy stalking her is there and cuts her head off?"

Kurt blinks. "That's a little more detail than I needed."

"Well, it's how I felt." Kendrick's frowning. "When I left the parking lot, I realized they were _still following me_. Like those stories you read about how people with road rage follow someone home and then beat them to death with a crowbar. Except I hadn't done anything to these guys! It's not like I cut them off or didn't use my blinker or something."

"What did you do?"

Kendrick shakes his head. "I panicked, first and foremost. I was terrified of driving back to school because all I could think was then they'd know I went there, and they could just show up at any time waiting for me. And really, that was stupid—Dalton was probably the safest place for me to get back to, but I wasn't thinking. So instead, I went to the most crowded place I knew, parked the car and ran inside." Kendrick rolls his eyes. "I wasted three hours of my life standing in that Walmart, waiting them out."

Kurt can't help it. "Wow. I think I would have taken the beat down."

Kendrick laughs without humor. "Yeah. Well, you do stupid things when you're in fear for your life."

Kurt knows that one all too well. You tend not to tell people when things get dangerous because you don't want them to get hurt, too. You bottle things up until it eats away at you and you're not certain you can even handle getting out of bed in the morning. You turn your fear and anger on the people who matter the most, the ones who could really help you.

Yeah, he knows too well the stupidity trap that one can fall into.

"Anyway, don't like tell anyone about that, okay?" Kendrick is saying his gaze trained on the sand again. "I mean, Michael doesn't know about it, and I don't want him to. I can't exactly admit that I'm terrified of going outside Dalton by myself anymore. One, it's ridiculous, and two he'd end up insisting that I wasn't allowed to ever leave grounds without him there again. And that's not exactly the healthiest way to go about life, is it? Always leaning on someone else to protect you."

Kurt glances out at the water where Blaine and Nick are slowly making their way back to shore. "It depends," he says after a moment. "Maybe you matter enough to them that protecting you makes them happy. Maybe they need to. And maybe you kind of need it, too."

"Why do I get the feeling we're not talking about me anymore?" Kendrick is smiling kindly at him when Kurt meets his gaze. He turns his head to look over his shoulder as Blaine and Nick step on to the shore. "Looks like I'm about to lose my spot."

"Probably an accurate assessment." Kurt smiles at Blaine as he approaches.

Kendrick stands just as Blaine reaches the edge of the towel, and Blaine's flashing him one of his adorably half-annoyed, half-amused expressions, eyeing Kendrick like he really isn't quite certain what to do with him.

And, of course, Kendrick apparently loves pushing Blaine's buttons. "Not encroaching on your territory here, so don't give me that look. We were just chatting."

Blaine rolls his eyes. "Go away, Kendrick."

"No love, man," Kendrick says, giving Kurt a quick wink before moving to catch up to Nick as they head a few feet away to where Jeff, Flint and Braden are all laying in the sand. Not one of them is paying attention to the other—they all have their phones out.

"Miss me?" Blaine asks, kneeling down on his towel. Before stretching out, he leans over and kisses Kurt's shoulder, and in the process, drips cooling water all over him.

Giggling, Kurt shoves him away gently, brushing at the drops on his skin as if they somehow offended him. "I had—then you got me wet!"

Blaine pulls a face and glances up at the sky overhead as he leans back on his elbows.

"That's _rain water_," Kurt explains in a voice indicating that Blaine should know better. "Salt water dries my skin out."

Blaine snorts and drops his head back on his towel, closing his eyes. Kurt takes a moment to appreciate the water that clings to his chest and stomach, how the dark hair on his legs and arms is currently plastered to his skin. The way his swim trunks are molded around his hips—

Looking away quickly, Kurt imagines his dad appearing above him, reading the train of his thoughts. It's enough to make him stop thinking about his boyfriend for a brief moment. He pulls out his phone instead.

**To: Mercedes Jones**  
_Sorry. K and I were talking._

**From: Mercedes Jones**  
_NP. Having a good time?_

**To: Mercedes Jones**  
_Un-freaking-believable, actually._

**From: Mercedes Jones**  
_O.o Spill!_

Smiling, Kurt glances over at Blaine, still lying beside him with his eyes closed. Scooting closer, Kurt leans down beside him, poking at his arm. "Hey. I want to take a picture of us."

Blaine opens his eyes, glancing at the phone in his hand. "I'm guess you have a nefarious purpose in mind. One that will involve more texting while I lay here lonesome and miserable. Rejected in favor of an iPhone."

Kurt rolls his eyes. "Give me a break. I just want Mercedes to see that I'm having a good time."

"Have you told her about us?" There's a slight pause prior to the question.

"No. I didn't really want to say it in an email, you know." He holds the phone up in front of them for the picture.

Just as he is about to take it, Blaine leans up and kisses him. Kurt laughs softly as his boyfriend pulls back, looking quite pleased with himself. They both crowd together to see the resulting shot, giggling at the picture on the screen. Kurt's eyes are focused on the camera, and they're a little wide with surprise—Blaine has his lips firmly pressed against Kurt's.

"There," Blaine says, sounding inordinately pleased with himself. "Now you can tell her."

"Now the whole Glee club will know," Kurt says, adding text to the photo.

**To: Mercedes Jones**  
_Not much to tell, really_… ;)

He hits send before laying the phone on the other side of Blaine so that he can lay his head on Blaine's shoulder. While he isn't into overt PDA—they'd had to witness a boy and girl sucking face at the edge of the beach when they'd arrived; David had called out that this was a public beach, not a pay-by-the-hour motel—he can't help but take advantage of being somewhere that he feels a little more comfortable with giving in to his need to constantly touch his boyfriend. He may not have been so at ease if the beach had been more crowded; as it is, there aren't many others there beyond the Warblers, fellow _Millennium_ passengers and a couple dozen passengers from the other cruise ships in port. The closest groups near them are Warblers, and if they're not used to Kurt and Blaine cuddling by now, they never will be.

His phone starts vibrating. One text, two, three… It's moving so much, it actually begins shaking itself off the towel. Blaine and Kurt are both staring at it.

Blaine finally says, "Aren't you going to check it?"

"Nah." Kurt slides his arm around Blaine's waist and snuggles closer, closing his eyes. "They can wait. This way they have time to text each other, call each other, and make up outrageous stories as to why I'm not responding."

Blaine laughs. "You're not a very nice person, Kurt Hummel."

Kurt smiles, kissing the still wet skin beneath his mouth. "I know. It's one of the reasons you love me so much. I balance the relationship—you're ridiculously nice. It's my duty to make up for that."

His boyfriend snorts at that, shifting slightly to grab Kurt's phone. Kurt really and truly hopes his friends don't say anything embarrassing—it's a foolish and impossible hope, but he thinks it all the same. When he feels Blaine start to laugh beneath him, he asks, "Well?"

"Just a quick comment—I love you, babe, but your friends are crazy."

"Said as if I wasn't already aware. Let's hear it."

"Okay. From Mercedes—_Get it, white boy_! From Quinn—_I'm so happy for you, Kurt_." Kurt flushes, happy that his face is currently pressed against Blaine's shoulder. "From Tina—_He's hawt, let's swap_!... Ummm."

Kurt giggles. "I'm not certain Mike would be totally in love with that idea."

"Admittedly, I'm not certain I am, either." There's just a hint of jealousy in the tone; enough to make Kurt smile. "From Artie—_Rock on_. From Mike—_That's cool, dude. Plz don't listen to T_." His boyfriend chuckles briefly before continuing, "From Brittany—_Why is that strangr bitingKurt_?" Blaine pauses there, about to say something and Kurt tells him, "Ignore her. Go on."

"From Santana—"

Kurt holds his breath.

"_Boring! Is he a good lay_?" Kurt three shades of red as he feels Blaine turn his head to look at him. "Am I?"

"That has yet to be determined since we're taking this slow."

"Ah. Should I tell her that?"

"God no!" Kurt leans up and shoots him a murderous expression.

Blaine laughs, leaning up to kiss him quickly. "Kidding. Lay back down. We're not finished yet."

Kurt's not certain he wants to hear the rest, but he lies back down anyway, if only to stay snuggled beside Blaine.

"From Rachel—_Kurt, I'm so happy for you both! This is so amazing. I am going to show my dads. You really need to introduce him to the rest of us. xoxo_. Wow, she's long-winded."

"You have no idea."

"From Sam—_Way to go, Kurt_. Who's Sam?"

"The Linda Evangelista look-alike."

"Oh, the one who sang _The Time of My Life_ at Sectionals?" Kurt nods. Blaine goes back to reading, "From Noah—_Looks like the princess found his prince_. So who's the princess in this scenario?"

"How many tiaras do you own?"

There's a pause, and then, "Uh, none."

"That would be me, then."

Blaine laughs, and his arm curls around Kurt's shoulders, pulling him a little closer. "I kind of want to see you in them now."

Giggling, Kurt tells him, "That's a privilege you're going to have to earn."

"Sounds like a challenge." Kurt's phone buzzes again and Blaine checks it before saying, "I take it you texted Aaron about Pav?"

"Yeah. I was worried he killed the poor thing." Kurt raises up on an elbow. "Is he alive?"

"Says here _Bird's alive and annoying as evr. Plz dont leave me w/it again_. Your roommate is a whiner."

"Tell me something I don't know."

He lays his chin on Blaine's chest, staring up at him as Blaine continues to glance through his texts. Kurt doesn't really mind. There's nothing there he feels any need to hide from his boyfriend. And honestly, he's beyond pleased that Blaine didn't seem to take offense to any of the responses from his friends in New Directions. In fact, he finds himself looking forward to the day when he can introduce Blaine to all of them.

"You think Kendrick's cute?"

Oh, okay. Maybe there are a few texts Blaine shouldn't be reading.

Kurt reaches up and snatches his phone from Blaine's hand. "Yes," he admits as he tosses it back to his towel. "And don't try to deny that you find him cute, too. And don't pout. I can say Kendrick is cute because my boyfriend happens to be a cross between Cary Grant and Marlon Brando."

Blaine beams.

Kurt adds, "And don't let that go to your head."

It starts raining again. Kurt cranes his head back to look up at the sky, squinting against the light drops falling on to his eyes. "It's kind of fitting, I think, this dreary day being our last day of vacation."

"It's really depressing when you put it like that."

Kurt sighs, gives up on worrying about the water and lays his head back against Blaine's shoulder. It gets quieter on the beach whenever it starts raining. Some of the people run for the shelter of the bar further up the beach, others huddle under umbrellas or make their way into the water because it's a little bit warmer than the falling rain. Kurt actually shudders a little with a momentary chill and Blaine pulls him closer, his hand sliding over Kurt's arm to warm it.

They lay there quietly for the next few minutes, and Kurt finds himself thinking how this is the last day, and soon they'll be back in Ohio. Back to their regular lives, and everything about the last week won't even feel real.

"Do you think it'll be the same?" He finds himself asking.

"Hmm. What?"

"Us. Back at Dalton."

Blaine shifts beneath him, forcing Kurt to lift up and meet his gaze. "What do you mean?" Blaine runs his fingers through Kurt's hair as he stares at him. "Why would this be any different there?"

Kurt shrugs. He really can't put an explanation to his fears.

"Kurt, I love you. Here or at Dalton, that doesn't change. I can't wait to walk down the hallways with you, holding your hand. I can't wait for everyone there to know that we're together."

Kurt smiles at that, and leans in for a quick kiss from his boyfriend. "I know I shouldn't worry. Sometimes everything just feels so surreal."

Blaine returns the smile and steals another quick kiss. "Do you love me?" He asks.

Grinning, Kurt tucks his head back onto Blaine's shoulder, ignoring the rain. "You know I do."

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

The mood at dinner that night had been bittersweet. There had been lots of photos taken, boys moving back and forth between the two tables to chat, speeches made by Mr. Price that almost put them to sleep, and sharing of food that they wouldn't get when back at Dalton Academy. Kurt had sampled Blaine's steak tartare (and there would never be enough time in all of eternity for the jokes he could make from that one), and shared his lemon tart for dessert with Kendrick. Carole had taken family photos, and when she'd told Blaine to join in on the one with Kurt and Finn so that she could have one of all "my boys together", Blaine's smile had faltered slightly, his eyes shining just a little more than usual for a few brief moments. Kurt had taken his hand as they sat back down and just held it.

Now, Kurt finds himself in a bit of a quandary.

He honestly can't decide if he likes to be in control best, or if he prefers Blaine to be in control.

He's lying there on the bed, staring up at the low ceiling as Blaine's mouth is attached to his neck, doing all kinds of amazingly delicious things that make Kurt squirm and gasp, and maybe on occasion ask for him to do it again. Blaine is stretched out over the top of him, and Kurt's shirt is pushed up past his belly, and Blaine's hands keep sliding over his skin. He feels like he's on fire. Especially when Blaine's leg slips between Kurt's legs, and then his thigh presses upwards and—Kurt's brain momentarily short circuits.

Yes. He honestly can't decide. And he supposes that means there will have to be hundreds, and possibly thousands of necessary attempts at research on the subject.

Closing his eyes, Kurt's arms wrap around Blaine's shoulders, and he thrust his hips upwards experimentally, smiling when Blaine makes a low noise and moves against him. Blaine's jacket and tie are gone, and his shirt is half unbuttoned (Kurt knows because he unbuttoned it), and they'd both ended up taking off their shoes because Blaine had made a comment when they got to the room about the damage Kurt could do to him if he kicked him. Sometimes one of Blaine's socked feet will rub against Kurt's, and honestly, it's one of the most intimate things he's ever felt.

_This could seriously go on forever_, he thinks.

Holden and Finn were watching football in the casino with a bunch of the others, including Kurt's dad. They'd made the decision to go back to Blaine's room because there is less of a chance of Carole, or his dad if he leaves the game early, stopping by to knock on his door. There'd been a brief debate regarding the Do Not Disturb sign, which they finally decided to leave off because, wow, if there were even any indication of what was going on behind the door…

Missing Blaine's mouth, Kurt turns his head, pulling his neck from Blaine's reach. And he's pleased when his boyfriend immediately catches on, licking his way into Kurt's mouth, shifting upwards against him as he leans up slightly on his hands. The movement angles their hips together just so, and Kurt's stomach tightens at the pressure of Blaine's cock rubbing through the material of their pants against his own. He gasps into Blaine's mouth, his fingers curling into the silk shirt beneath his hands as he alternately pulls Blaine closer and pushes up against him.

"Hang on," Blaine whispers, pulling away and Kurt tries to tug him back but Blaine bats at his hands. "Hang on," he says again, leaning over the edge of the bed, and he's grabbing Kurt's messenger bag, digging through it until he pulls his hand out triumphantly. He leans just slightly off of Kurt elbows planted firmly in the mattress as he turns the phone off and tosses it onto the nightstand.

Kurt smiles as Blaine moves back over him, looking quite proud of himself. "Now, where were we?" Blaine asks.

When he starts to lean back down, Kurt pushes against his chest, sitting up as he forces Blaine to sit back on his calves. The position is actually really kind of hot now that they're in it, Kurt's legs splayed on the bed with Blaine straddling his lap. Blaine, who is just sitting there, gazing at him, eyes slightly darker than usual, brow furrowed a bit with an unspoken question. Grabbing the edge of his own shirt, Kurt lifts it up and pulls it off over his head, tossing it to the floor.

"Kurt," Blaine begins as Kurt reaches for the last few buttons on his shirt, his voice filled with that warning tone that Kurt has gotten to know a little too well. He places a hand over Kurt's to still them.

"I just want to feel you against me," Kurt explains, looking up at Blaine. "I promise—nothing below the belt."

Because they'd had no performances left, there had been no need to wear their uniforms. Blaine had left Kurt positively speechless when he'd stopped by his stateroom that night wearing a dark blue Armani suit tailored perfectly to fit his trim form with white shirt and contrasting black tie. For his own outfit, he'd chosen something simple: stark black skinny jeans with hid Doc Martens and a white bondage shirt. He's fairly certain he'd chosen wisely if the way Blaine had looked at him from head to toe when he'd opened the door had been any indication. Ever since then, Kurt knows the looks they've exchanged with one another could only lead to where they are now.

Blaine stares at him for a long moment, and when he gently pries Kurt's fingers from his shirt, Kurt doesn't bother suppressing the sigh of disappointment. Then Blaine is carefully undoing the buttons himself, watching Kurt with a small smile as he works his way down his dress shirt. _And wow, that's ridiculously hot_, Kurt thinks as Blaine slowly slips the shirt off of his shoulders, dragging it down his arms and finally tossing it to the floor.

Kurt arches an eyebrow at him. "Were you a stripper in a past life or something?"

Blaine just pushes him back against the bed, following him down to capture his mouth in a deep kiss once more, and this time Kurt knows there aren't going to be any alarms going off to stop them. It's alternately exhilarating and terrifying to know that for the first time in his life, he's going to be getting off not only without the use of his hand, but with someone else there. Someone who loves him, someone who seems to want him, and wants to be with him like this. It's almost overwhelming, but then Blaine's whispering Kurt's name into his mouth and his hands are sliding along Kurt's waist, grabbing his hips, pulling him closer as they thrust against each other. Suddenly, Kurt can't think of anything but _this_.

Blaine keeps whispering Kurt's name, mouth moving away from his to return to his neck, his shoulder, down to the hollow between his neck and chest. The skin of their chests doesn't slide so much as pull and catch as Blaine moves against him, and Kurt wraps his own arms around Blaine's waist, flattening his hands against his back, trying to pull him closer, even though it's impossible. He leans up to nip at Blaine's earlobe, remembering how Blaine had responded to that the day before, and he's rewarded when Blaine bucks against him, his thrusts a little more frantic and needy.

Kurt's so hard it hurts. He brings his knees up, digging his heels into the mattress as he ruts up against his boyfriend, fingers tangling in Blaine's curls, tugging him back to kiss him. Blaine seems more than happy to devour his mouth, sucking on his lower lip as Kurt whimper his name, and _fuck_, why didn't anyone tell him frottage felt like this?

He gasps Blaine's name as the kiss ends, and his boyfriend's face just hovers there above him, gazing down as they both continue to scramble for that delicious friction between them. Kurt swallows, feeling his groin tighten, and he's pulling on Blaine's curls now, he knows, and he should probably stop but he's so close, so close—

"Blaine—_Blaine_—"

And then Blaine's hand is between them, and his palm is pressing and rubbing through the fabric along the length of Kurt's cock, and that's all it takes. Kurt's coming with something like a choked sob escaping him, and Blaine's head is pressed into his shoulder as his thrusts become more erratic and—

And, _oh god_. His boyfriend just got him off. His _boyfriend _just _got him off_.

Kurt barely registers at what point Blaine finally stills against him. His fingers continue to curl against the back of Blaine's head—curl and release, curl and release—and he's not certain his heart is ever going to stop beating so fast. Part of him protests the deadweight of Blaine's body that is sinking against him; the other part never wants Blaine to move. Kurt feels a cross between out of sorts and completely amazing. He thinks this might all be a dream; it feels like a dream. His head doesn't even feel like it's attached to his body anymore.

At some point—it could be minutes or hours since he came—Kurt feels Blaine's lips moving softly against his shoulder. That's when it occurs to him that his heart is finally beating normally, and Blaine's weight is getting to be a little too much, and ugh, he really needs to get out of these pants.

"You're getting heavy," Kurt says softly, pulling his hands from Blaine's hair to push against his shoulders.

Blaine leans up and smiles down at him he shifts his body next to Kurt's. "And this is where I discover you are not the type to cuddle."

Kurt rolls his eyes as he moves to get up. "You have wet skinny jeans plastered to your balls and tell me how much you'd be in the mood to cuddle."

He ignores Blaine's laughter behind him as he opens the closet door, using it as a screen as he strips out of his jeans and underwear, and slides on his pajama bottoms. He tucks the dirty clothes away in the laundry bag, and shuts the door. Blaine is stretched out on his back on the bed, arm tucked behind his head, eyes closed. Kurt just stares at him for a long moment, a sort of awe sweeping through him as one immutable fact swims through his head: this is the boy I'm going to have sex with. The thought is a little staggering, but Kurt fully believes it's true. It certainly won't be happening tonight and more than likely not for a good long while—and he's perfectly okay with that. But just the knowing, knowing that _someday_ there's going to be so much more than frotting against one another in skinny jeans, is incredible.

When he crawls back on to the bed, Blaine's eyes open, and he smiles at Kurt with that same slow, almost sleepy smile that always makes him feel like he's melting inside. "Now are you ready to cuddle?"

Smiling, Kurt lies down beside him, laying his head on the crook of Blaine's shoulder as Blaine's arm wraps around him, pulling him close. "So, this is what you meant by taking it slow, right?"

Blaine's arm squeezes a little too tight. "Shut up. You looked hot tonight. What am I supposed to do when my boyfriend wears a freakin' bondage shirt around me?"

Kurt giggles. "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe next time I'll wear the shirt and the shorts together and –  
" He squeaks as Blaine rolls him over, trapping him beneath his body once more. Kurt isn't complaining; he positively loves the feel of Blaine's bare skin against his.

"You're such a brat," Blaine says with a big smile before tucking his head against Kurt's neck and kissing it softly. He whispers against his skin, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me?" Kurt feels his face flame the moment he says it.

Blaine lifts his head, gazing down into Kurt's eyes, and honestly, he doesn't have to say the words because Kurt can see it. Everything is written there in the soft look in his eyes, and the gentle curve of the smile on his lips.

"You know I do," he whispers.

And Kurt does.

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

**Epilogue**

The music is loud enough that anyone outside of the 2010 yellow Camaro could hear the thrumming of the bass from inside. The windows actually appear to be vibrating.

Not that Kurt or Blaine seems to notice. They're singing along with Britney, each voice vying to be heard over the din, and occasionally vying to hit a particularly spectacular note to impress the other. Kurt's dancing to the beat in the passenger seat, making the most he can out of the confined space, while beside him at the wheel Blaine frequently steps on the brake to the beat of the music before shimmying in his seat.

"_Gimme something good_  
_Don't wanna wait I want It now (na-na-now)_"

"Hey! Don't take your hands off the wheel," Kurt gently scolds before he goes back to singing.

"_Pop it like a hood_  
_And show me how you work It out_"

"But I'm _dancing_!"

"_If I said my heart was beating loud_"

"Yes, and you're going to dance us right into oncoming traffic."

"_If I said I want your body now_"

"But my _boyfriend_ fixed the alignment in this thing a few weeks ago—"

"_Would you hold it against me_"

"Yes and _my_ boyfriend has repeatedly hit potholes and driven over curbs throughout these last few weeks. The alignment is more than likely shot again."

"Nah ah. Look!" Blaine lets go of the wheel, raising his hands above his head in beat to the music.

"_If I said my heart was beating loud_  
_If we could escape the crowd somehow_"

"If you crash your car, I just want you to know, I don't do bodywork."

"_If I said I want your body now_  
_Would you hold it against me_"

Blaine has to grab the wheel now because he's laughing. "That's what she said!"

Kurt gives his a boyfriend a look before they both join in with Britney:

"_Cause you feel like paradise_  
_I need a vacation tonight_  
_So if I said I want your body now_  
_Would you hold it against me_"

The song comes to an end as Blaine pulls into the driveway of the Hudson-Hummel's home. Kurt's still singing the words under his breath as he leans forward to disconnect his iPod, while beside him Blaine shuts off the engine, slipping his keys into the pocket of his wool coat. When Kurt looks up, he finds his boyfriend gazing at him with a look Kurt has come to know well in the past month. It always makes Kurt's heart beat a little faster, the air fighting to make its way through his lungs while his skin flushes with warmth at all the implications Blaine's eyes are giving him.

And _oh_, how he hates that Blaine is doing this to him now, of all the inconvenient times.

"Stop it," he says, holding his palm up in front of his boyfriend's face. "Don't even think about it. Not only do we have a football game to attend, but we also happen to be in the driveway of my _parent's_ home."

As usual, Blaine really isn't listening to him. His fingers are wrapped around Kurt's wrist and he's pressing light kisses against Kurt's palm, making his way up to his fingertips, and then sucking gently on each one as he stares at Kurt.

"I hate you so much right now," he groans, and Blaine takes that for the invitation that it is, launching himself across the seat at Kurt.

Kurt can't stop the noise of pleasure that escapes as Blaine licks his way into his mouth, climbing over the stick shift in between them and pressing Kurt up against the door. The armrest is digging into his back, and the glass is hard on his head, but his boyfriend is pretty much attempting to suck his tonsils out, and his hands are slipping up inside Kurt's sweater, and everything is perfect. He thinks, _we can just go somewhere—I'll call dad and tell him we have a flat and we'll be late_. After all, making out with his boyfriend in the car is preferable to any football game, championship or no. He's only going to support his old classmates and his brother, and because his boyfriend loves football, but _he_ loves having his boyfriend's tongue in his mouth, so maybe _they_ should all have to sacrifice this time for _his _happiness.

Sliding his fingers through Blaine's curls, he tugs a little, and Blaine's practically in his lap now, and that's perfectly fine by him. He doesn't even care anymore that they're sitting in his car in the driveway of his parent's house—there's something about Blaine singing along to _Hold It Against Me_ that just… _yeah_.

As Blaine's mouth slips away from his, moving over his jaw and down his neck, and there's a scrape of teeth and a swipe of tongue and Kurt squirms at the sensations, eyes fluttering open briefly to notice the windows are now all fogged up. Good. No one can see them.

This has pretty much been his life over the last three weeks that they've been back in Ohio. Sneaking whatever little moments they can when a roommate is away or there's an empty common room to be found, or even tucked in the back of the library, hiding among the books. They've spent more than a few dates cramped in the back of Blaine's Camaro, stretched out across the leather seats, legs tangled together. Kurt has discovered he likes Blaine's idea of "taking it slow" because it actually means just repeating a lot of things again and again and again until they both feel comfortable with it.

They have some things honed to perfection.

Like now, as Kurt feels Blaine's fingers drift along the edge of his stomach, fingering just lightly at the waist of his jeans, he knows his boyfriend is asking silent permission. All he does is kind of whisper Blaine's name into his mouth, and then Blaine's fingers are working at the belt, tugging it loose, popping the button and sliding the zipper down. And then, _oh_, Blaine's fingers are wrapping around his dick, and Kurt's damn certain at this point in time that's a sensation he is never going to get used to. The first time he'd experienced it had been just a little over a week earlier, and it doesn't matter that he's felt it five times since then, he honestly doesn't think it could be possible to feel it _too _much.

"God, Kurt," Blaine breathes against him. "You are so amazing. I just… I want to…"

He doesn't finish the sentence because neither of them really can just yet. Kurt just nods, and says, "Yeah, I know," into his mouth.

Blaine's hand continues to slide along the length of his cock, and Kurt wants to return the favor, but with the way he's plastered against the door, it's kind of difficult to get his arms and hands in the right position. Blaine doesn't seem to mind, though, and Kurt has every intention of returning the favor the moment he has a chance. For now he just lets himself enjoy this, thrusting up into Blaine's grip, panting against his boyfriend's mouth, and—

_Bap. Bap. Bap_.

They both kind of squeal at the unexpected and loud rapping against the window behind Kurt's head, pulling apart and staring at the blurred figure on the other side of the fogged glass. Slipping his hand out of Kurt's pants, Blaine leans over and wipes at the glass with the sleeve of his coat. And there's Burt Hummel, peering in at them, effectively providing Kurt with the best boner killer the world has ever seen. He's giving them that expression—the one Carol fondly, and oh-so-aptly refers to as the "_Blaine, I like you, but there's a line and you're crossing it_" look. Of course Blaine, being his sometimes oblivious and ridiculously easy-going self, bounds back into his seat, somehow fully composed, and pushes the driver's side door open as he practically bounces out.

"Good evening, Burt! Looking forward to the game?"

Kurt rolls his eyes as somehow Blaine draws his dad into a conversation about the game and not about ravishing his teenage son in the driveway. He uses the distraction to redress himself before pulling down the visor to check his hair in the mirror, making certain each strand is back in place. Finally satisfied that he doesn't look as if he was about to have a very happy moment in the front seat of his boyfriend's car in his parent's drive, he joins his dad and boyfriend outside. Blaine is telling Burt about the A Kurt got on his calculus exam this week, bragging about him like maybe _he's_ Kurt's dad.

And great. Now he wants to _scrub his brain with bleach_.

Blaine smiles at Kurt as he reaches them, giving him a brief wink that makes Kurt want to alternately smack his boyfriend upside the head, and tackle him to the ground, to hell with what his dad might see him do.

"Hi, boys!" Carole calls out from the doorway where she is digging through her purse, apparently looking for her house keys.

"Hey, Carole!" Blaine waves and sprints away from Burt and Kurt to make his way over to her. He takes her purse, holding it closer to the porch light for her so she can dig through it properly.

"I gotta tell ya, Kurt," his dad begins as they both watch Blaine say something to Carole that sends her into peals of laughter. "Sometimes I think that boyfriend of yours just ain't right." The thing is, his dad's kind of smiling as he says it, watching as Blaine then grabs Carol into a big hug.

"You adore him, Dad."

"Let's not go too far, huh?" But his dad gives him a smile. He calls out, "Let's get going, you two. We've got a game to get to."

Burt pulls out the keys to the minivan that he grudgingly conceded to Carole they should have, and makes his way over to the driver's side. They had decided during the week to drive together since it would be silly to take Blaine's car when they were spending the weekend at the house after the game anyway.

Kurt waits in the driveway for Blaine to return to him. He reaches out to fix the collar of Blaine's coat that had apparently been pushed up when he'd hugged Carole. It makes Kurt think of a time almost four months earlier when Blaine had done the same for him before singing to him, and stealing his heart.

Leaning in close, Blaine whispers in his ear, "Wow! That was a close one, huh?"

"You're lucky you have that whole charming thing down pat," Kurt says, slipping his arm through Blaine's as they make their way over to the van. "Though I do hope you realize my dad sees right through it."

"I guess I'm really lucky to have you here to save me, then." Blaine smiles, pulling Kurt close when they reach the side door, and leaning in to kiss him softly.

Returning the smile, Kurt wraps his arms around Blaine's shoulders—ignoring his dad's shout at them to _stop hanging all over each other and get in the damn car_—and steals another brief kiss. "Oh no, Blaine Anderson, you've got that one all wrong. I'm lucky to have _you_ here to save _me_."

They might have stayed right there in the driveway, clinging to each other all night long, if Burt didn't start laying on the car horn. And Kurt only acquiesces because of his certainty there will be plenty of nights like this one to come.


End file.
